Two Broken Hearts to Beat As One
by Daydreamer123
Summary: Beth leaves home and now works at a children's clothing store. Rick is a widower single father trying to raise two kids. He walks into the children's store and meets sales assistant Beth Greene. She smiles, he smiles back neither knowing it was just the first of many and the start of their worlds entwining. Carl predicts white gowns & tailcoats and Judith is dreaming of the future
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year - This will only be a few chapters long, it's Brick of course with a bit of Daryl and Merle at the end of this chapter. I worked in a busy department store when I was in college so I know it's a tough job.

 **DISCLAIMER:** I do not own the Walking Dead or its characters

Apologies in advance for any spelling and grammatical errors. _Thoughts in Italics_

* * *

 **Two Broken Hearts to Beat As One**

 **Chapter 1**

* * *

"Nobody's there!" Herschel says hearing the phone ringing off the hook.

"Try her cell!" Annette replies from the kitchen.

 **"** **Hi, I can't take your call right now so please leave me a message after the beep and I'll call ya back just as soon as I can and until then, have a great dayyyyy!"**

"Answer machine again!" Herschel grumbles disappointed slumping into his armchair, the chirpiness of his daughter's voice couldn't cheer him up like it always does.

"Well leave her a message and she'll call back just as soon as she can honey!" Annette tells her husband, her voice getting closer as she walks into the lounge putting on a pair of dangly earrings.

"Bethy, it's daddy, remember me?" He asks looking up at his youngest's photo on the wall "It's coming up to seventy-two hours and we haven't exchanged a single word! I'm feeling like I've almost been forgotten!" He says taking a heavy sigh.

Annette bites her tongue shaking her head whilst switching off the TV.

"Me and Mamma are going to dinner to The Mamet's, some environmental campaign Andrea's looking to take action against this new water company. Milton's been doing some snooping at one of the reservoirs when The Dixon Boys found a few dead animals and notified them that it didn't look like natural causes of death…Daryl needed to rescue that nincompoop! Milton nearly fell in and was hanging off the edge, apparently the toxic levels aren't good, the reading he managed to get was higher than it should be…he could've been laying there dead as a duck had Daryl not spotted him and followed him through the woods!" He scoffs "and they want to get us on board to get everyone else on board and I wanted your input…I want you on board…but call me when you listen to this message! Okay?" He says into the phone like he was waiting for her to answer him there and then throwing some information of the next community issue and that against a major company in the hopes it will entice her to get involved and come back home "So I'll speak to you soon my lovely, this message is from your miserable old teddy-bear-dad you promised to call every other-"

The message beeps and cuts before he could finish.

"day!" He adds sadly looking at the hand piece and then placing it back into its station "Stupid machine!" He leans on his elbow, his palm presses deeply into the side of his cheek, guaranteed would leave a red mark from the pressure once removed.

"Herschel stop slouching and stop that moping this instant!"

Annette scolds her sulking husband handing him his tie as she walks past turning off all the lamps he decided he needed to be turned on to make a phone call, one was not enough! She tutts when they're all at full beam.

Thank god they invested in solar panels on advice from their son-in-law, she sighs. It did cost a bit to install the panels on the farm but Glenn advised in the long-term, they'll save heaps on their energy bills and they'll earn money on the excess energy they generate. They had to move with the times, technology and it would be good for the farm and they'd slowly see the profits which meant they could make more improvements on the farm and give their workers a bonus for their loyalty and dedicated commitment.

Annette was so proud of Beth, she had been a big influence to persuade Herschel, it was all gobbledygook to him. He was old fashioned and preferred to run the farm like his father did and that was donkey's years ago, probably when they used donkeys to plough the fields Beth had told him. That made her laugh, her daughter was shy but spoke up when she saw the need was necessary. Little Bethy Greene could see a bigger better picture and a more comfortable life for her aging parents, she was going to educate him she said when she stormed off vowing to return and the next time they spoke on the subject, he'd be eating humble pie with the big silver spoon that was hanging on the wall for saying it was a ludicrous idea.

Annette smiles remembering that conversation when Beth held her hips with the same expression as her father trying to explain but he was a stubborn old mule, uneducated in modern technology and didn't want nothing to do with it, he would not be swayed, he held his hips and leaned his head to head with his little bumble bee. Determined look and an angelic smile on her face, she cocked her head and marched off. Hard work, research he'd understand and a small presentation, Beth and Glenn had sold the idea to him. Glenn was so impressed with his sister-in-law, he put in a good word for her at the company and they offered her a part-time sales position because old men like Herschel Greene were hard nuts to crack and the neighbouring farms would be following pursuit. Herschel Greene sat at the dinner table that night and ate that humble pie.

Herschel pushes himself up from the armchair and lets out a little moan. His age was finally catching up with him, he can feel the aches and creeks of his aging bones. His work at the clinic, the running of the farm and his children kept him on his toes, feeling young and motivated to do anything. Since semi-retiring with Shawn taking over at the clinic, Otis taking the bigger responsibility of the running of the farm and with all his children grown up and left home, he felt miserable and like he had lost a couple of his limbs.

He loved spending more time with his wife but she was busy with house chores, he tries to help as much as he can but she shoos him away, she had a system he didn't understand. She has charity work and he can't stand the bullshit politics with the board members whereas she can, she was more tolerating than he is even with him being a mediator of some sort to the people around. She helps out at the church and he's always done his bit but felt he could do no more. He was just meant to take it easy and enjoy retirement and all this free time to do anything he wanted, he had taken care of everyone for years, now it was time for them to take care of him. He groans, he didn't need to be taken care of, he was the caretaker.

And he hated it! He was putting up with taking a backseat of the clinic and the farm but he didn't know how to take the backseat of not seeing and being involved with his children's everyday lives. Annette doesn't miss the groan reaching her ears, she looks over at her darling husband.

The last six months have been the hardest; their baby out of all their babies left home to see what the wider world off the farm had to offer her. Herschel had finally become ready for her to move out but what he wasn't ready for was, her moving two hours' drive away to King County which was on the outskirts of Atlanta and was within commuting distance to where she had applied for a job in a department store. He was so baffled; she was clever, had a bright future with many opportunities knocking at her door, she could do anything if she put her mind to it.

He secretly preferred it if it was something closer to home so being a teacher was a magnificent idea when they had their talks and she got the interview but she chose to be a sales assistant in a clothing store. He remembers when she made the announcement after a difficult time she was going through. He excused himself after dinner, went to his study and cried, something he would never do in front of the family wondering what went wrong, everything was going so good. They had brought up their children saying they could be and do anything they wanted and she wanted to this. He asked God, what happened for her to turn away from the many doors waiting for her to walk through.

Herschel throws his tie around his neck and begins to loop it up in knots absent-mindedly.

He was convinced the decisions were more to do with Seb, Beth's former fiancé ending their two year relationship which made her leave home and everything she had worked so hard for. Why she loved such a tool he didn't understand.

"Lord I hate him but I'm trying my hardest to forgive him!" He says quietly.

He had been so happy, Beth had planned to take up the teaching position at the local school and help her mother with her charity work possibly take over one day in the distant future when she retired. He had envisioned his daughter would either become the Principle of the school or become the President of their charity and reaching all those people who needed someone like her. She just needed to work on her shyness but every year she flourished especially with everything she was so passionate about. Everyone knew she wanted to teach, get involved with the community, one day get married and start a family of her own. He wanted all of this for her but he wished Seb hadn't proposed so soon once Beth was out of college building up her hopes and dreams and possibly shattering a few. He wished Seb hadn't have asked her, not until they both had settled into their careers, their lifestyles and more importantly were a few years older.

Seb was two years older but wasn't mature enough for his daughter, she needed someone who could challenge her, someone who can teach her more than she already knew. Twenty-one and Twenty-Three was too young in his books to get married. You're just finding yourself at that age and it turned out Seb found out, he no longer wanted a future with his little humming bird. He was convinced Sebastian Blake must be gay. There were many boys he had caught throwing admiring glances at his daughter but never acted on their feelings because they all knew who he was and maybe he should have let some of the nicer boys who had their heads on their shoulders, focused with life to call on his daughter.

He was so angry at Seb but relieved at the same time for ending things before the wedding invitations were sent out. At least he spared Beth being jilted at the alter in front of all their family and friends because nobody nor he saw it coming! The young man had been welcomed into their family because Beth loved him, he was sweet and caring but at times showed he could be immature and selfish and in the end broke his little girl's heart and was most definitely the reason why she fled home to a place where she had no connections to.

Deep down, he had a nagging feeling Seb wasn't compatible enough for Beth, she was always five steps ahead and he was always lagging behind, they had different likes and dislikes and sometimes opposites attract everyone had said and it was true, many people they knew where mismatches but they worked. Looking back, in this instance, maybe they weren't. He should have known he curses, the signs were there but Beth's temporary happiness blinded him. He prayed one day Beth will see it as a blessing in disguise that Seb ended it because he was sure there is a much better future out there waiting for her, she just needed to find him or him to find her, either way this broken heart was destined to happen.

He just hated that she was out there all on her own and had nobody to turn to for comfort and support. He'd lay awake almost every night worrying how sad and lonely she was. Many nights when his wife was asleep, he'd crawl out of bed, get down on his knees, bow his head closing his eyes with his hands joined together, spoke to god to send something or someone to fix his baby's broken heart and bring her home. Four visits in six months was not enough, he was surviving on photos and memories.

"Oh, come here you silly old fool!" Annette says snapping him out him out of his thinking, watching her husband making a mess of his tie looking wounded.

Herschel gives up and lets the tie drop onto his chest, he rubs his forehead and looks into his wife's eyes when she's standing in front of him sorting out his knots.

They look so much alike and were so similar in character and qualities yet so different he thought about his wife and daughter. They had their individualities and quirks that differentiated them. He was so happy to have gone to visit Ireland when he did, otherwise he'd never have met his free spirit Annette, wiser than her years, a goddess in his eyes. She had visited the old country at the same time he had and when he left Ireland to return to the US, he left with Annette as his bride.

"She's young and should be enjoying her life, experiencing it, finding herself, find where she belongs in this universe, it's what girls her age are supposed to do!" Annette tells her husband reminding him of her past.

She had as a young woman gone travelling when she needed respite after her beloved mother's death. Travelling to Ireland to visit her last remaining family, they scattered her mother's ashes where her father's lay so they could be together once again. There was something in the tranquil land keeping her there much longer than she intended to. She remained and took a barmaids job at her uncle's pub and that is where she met her charismatic, fascinating, older husband. He too was going through his own pain and had turned to drinking. She had caught him before he drowned, had become his salvation, he hers, they brought each other back to life, they fell in love and have remained so til this day.

"She doesn't need us old fuddy-duddy's always trying to keep tabs on her whereabouts, she's a grown woman, she'll call us when she needs to and besides most parents go without speaking to their children for weeks, months even! We're lucky our child calls us the number of times she does, she's just busy right now!"

"I want her to enjoy her life, I never said I didn't, I'd never obstruct her in anything! We are the luckiest parents in the world, parents would give an arm and a leg to have a daughter like our angel, I just want to be involved more in her life like I once used to!" Herschel informs his wife feeling hurt.

Annette sighs, he was such a silly teddy-bear at times, Beth's exact words when he got like this.

"When it comes to Beth, you become too over sensitive, protective and I'm going to say it…a big fat baby!" Annette pats his ties down once she fixes it and gives him an adoring smile. She loves her husband, his reactions are endearing but he gets a tad too emotional and she doesn't like to say it but he knows it, irritating but she loves him for it.

"She's my baby!" Herschel protests with a frown.

"She's mine too!" Annette cocks her head at him with a small smile on her lips.

"I know, it's just-" Herschel trails off.

He didn't mean to offend Annette, that wasn't his plan and he didn't want to seem the overbearing, needy father but he couldn't help it. Beth was an unexpected but welcomed surprise, she came along years after Shawn and Maggie. She was born two months premature and was kept in the hospital in an incubator for her first week until she was strong enough. He had never seen a baby so tiny. So tiny when she was born, she was just so delicate and precious, the doctors at the beginning feared she wouldn't survive but she did and he vowed to protect her always and he felt like he was failing.

Annette watches her husband knowing where his mind had gone, back to the hospital as they watched over baby Beth. Herschel was the most loving man she's ever met and could be a dangerous force to be reckoned with when it came to protecting his children and she remembers the night Beth came home a different girl, withdrawn from everything and everyone. Herschel had a look in his eyes, she and Shawn had stopped him when he reached for the rifles safe, fearing the outcome of Seb's fate and their's if he went through with it. She understood her husband well, she just sometimes needed to be the rational one out of the two when he saw red. She had to remind him that Beth wasn't that tiny baby any more, she would pick herself up again when the time was right. She was a young independent woman, a lot stronger than anyone gave her credit for, she was going to be okay, she just needed time and space for her heart to heal, to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. Just as they had done.

"She's working extremely hard, I know working in a clothing department store was not what you had envisioned for her, I didn't either but this is what she's chosen to do right now, she said it's temporary until she's on her feet. We need to let her do what she needs to do. Let her, let her hair down and have fun or just work like she is. She's come out of her shell, she's meeting and mingling with people from all walks of life away from the farm and she's happy at Peletier's, content with what she is doing so I'm content and so should you!" Annette nods decidedly, she worried for Beth but she knew her daughter would find her way.

Herschel opens his mouth to speak and then closes it in thought knowing his wife was right.

"One day soon, she'll come back to us, we just need to let her have her space, she'll come back to her big old teddy-bear happier than she's ever been and I believe something amazing will happen with her time away and I know you've been praying for the same getting down on those old rickety knees every night!" She says squeezing his shoulder kissing his cheek affectionately.

"How d'ya know?" Herschel asks holding her waist.

"Because Mr Herschel, I know everything!" She states resting her head on his chest.

"I hope so honey, I really do!" He smiles warily kissing her forehead.

"I know so, now let's getting moving otherwise we'll be late and I do not need Andrea reminding me about timekeeping etc, etc, etc!" She repeats rolling her eyes and then Herschel kisses her cheeks as a distraction and because he just wanted to.

"Maybe we should just stay in and have a moonlight dinner and cuddle by the fire, say my rickety old knees can't come out?" Herschel suggests.

"Herschel Greene!" She giggles "Those knobbly knees are fine! We promised to have dinner with our friends and we shall, now move!" She reminds him wriggling out of his arms with a blush, he could still do that to her after all these years.

"I didn't promise and they're not my friends, they're yours!" He shakes his head jokingly.

"I spoke for the both of us, we are one and they are our friends, so stop your wasting time and we need to leave now!" She says looking at her watch, rubbing her rouge off of Herschel's cheek and now pushing him out the door.

Herschel chuckles. His extra weight finally coming to use, he's moving as slowly as he can, listening to his wife huffing and puffing to get him out the door and calling him the biggest oldest child she's ever known to date not believing she had married one.

"I love you too Annette, I really do!" He laughs once they're finally out the door.

He helps Annette to the car and takes his place beside her. He would rather stay home and spend the evening with his wife but he would do whatever made his wonderful wife happy because at the end of the day, that is all that matters and what makes him happy. Happy wife to him means a happy life. She was confident their child would be fine and call and he believed her because majority of the time she was right.

* * *

Beth folds the last of the t-shirts and sweaters places them up on the shelves. She looks around the children's department of Peletier's where she's been working as a sales assistant for the past six months, it was neat, tidy, quirky and ready for the customer's tomorrow morning. It would be Saturday, the busiest day of the week after today and she'd heard a few parents talking about a last minute birthday party being held on Sunday so people were driving up to the city to do a quick dash shop for presents and party outfits. She overheard a lady shopping for her son that some workaholic dad forgot to send out the invitations for his son's eleventh birthday party and everyone had to go otherwise his boy would be crushed and the guy needed a break after everything he and his children had been through in the last couple of years. He had gone though some sort of breakdown and was finally on the mend and this was all he needed. She feels bad for the dad wondering it must be something tragic to forget his son's birthday and trying to organise it in just a few days.

She remembers Maggie's little girl's last birthday, it took a small army of Greenes and three months to organise a three year olds birthday party and it didn't help that the theme kept changing as did the games. The birthday girl in the end was content to just run around chasing the chickens into the meadows along with the family dog trying to put her tiara on it's head with her friends from her crèche running not far behind her and not interested in the Princess Party Maggie and Glenn had organised. The adults in the end took turns in pairs to bounce around on the Princess Bouncy Castles with their faces painted as Disney Princesses as that was all the last minute face-paint artist could do. Pin the Donkey was a blast for the adults as everyone laughed where they'd put the tail and then there was musical statues, people over thirty years of age shouldn't be allowed to dance, the kids came back and took over showing the adults how it was done, they weren't much better either.

Everybody had to stifle their laughs, Bae was Maggie's daughter for sure only content to do what she wanted, she made her own rules, her own Party in the Park as she called it and painted her cute face bright blue as a Smurf. Granddaddy sat in the tyre swing he put up many years ago laughing at Maggie whilst eating cake. Maggie got a mini replica of herself and was going to go through another eighteen years of this with Bae and he finally couldn't wait to hear Maggie and her complaining so he could remind her what she got up to, he was going to be Bae's advisor of how to wind up her mamma.

Beth looks at her watch and it read 8pm. She usually finished at 6pm on a Friday but Amy was transferred to the women's department now working with Rosita. Amy had ' _the look'_ to work alongside the other beautiful girls according to Jessie, the assistant manager of the women's department so they were down a person on the children's shop floor and she had volunteered to help Tara catch up with the left over chores. It also helped that she'd get two extra hours wage so she was only too pleased to help. She was saving to buy a dress she had her eyes on for Glenn's surprise birthday party so all the overtime was welcomed plus she liked her job, the kids were all adorable as she helped them pick outfits, she wanted the shop to look nice for them and she liked the people she worked with, she honestly didn't mind.

"Beth! O.M.G! You're already done up here!" Tara says astonished coming back up the spiral staircase pulling up a large box clenching her teeth at her efforts.

Tara is her outgoing, vibrant, takes no shit from anyone colleague and now best friend. They started working at Peletier's at the same time and hit it off straight away and have stuck together. They got on so well, they became housemates sharing a small house with Noah and Zach who also work at Peletier's but in the men's department. They'd become a tightknit little group and it was like they'd known each other their whole lives, sometimes they'd forget they've only known one another only six months but she was happy to have her small King County Family.

"Hey, you should've called me to help!" Beth says rushing over grabbing one end of the box.

"Thanks!" Tara smiles gratefully pink in the face and looking to be sweating buckets.

They manage to drag the box over and push it into their stock room and both collapse on the floor against one another. They look at each other and then giggle out loudly. They were both pooped and glistening with sweat. Tara had a thin river running from her forehead all the way down to her chin. It was a comfortable warm evening outside but they were both stifling inside and their exuberant workout of getting everything done so they could take it easy when the doors opened first thing was evident on their bodies. Anyone who wanted gorgeous expensive looking clothes and shoes came to Peletier's and parents like to spoil their kids with the best, so this was the place to shop.

Tara's lifts her arm up, sniffs and gags.

"Wohoooo, I think I need a shower or two!" Tara says fanning herself with a nearby catalogue.

"Me too!" Beth laughs embarrassed when she looks at the little sweat patch under the armpit of her short sleeved blouse.

"You sweat like a lady, little!" Tara throws her a jealous look "And I sweat buckets like a man!" She moans "I take after my dad, he has always sweated, it's disgusting, I feel bad for teasing him when he used to get home looking like he'd been in a boxing match or gone swimming with the fishes when he was out making the money, I'm such a terrible, terrible daughter!" She smacks her own head puffing the strand of hair out of her face.

"Well trust me, there's sweat and then there's sweat! One full day working on the farm, you'll look like you've been for a swim, I'm just a little more used to the hard gruel!" Beth informs Tara laughing "This isn't soo bad, trust me!" Beth smiles looking sideways at her friend remembering the long gruelling days growing up on the farm.

Everyone worked as soon as they knew how their feet worked, it was in their blood to pitch in and help out. She and Maggie used to run and jump into the lake just to cool off most summer days after helping out. She smiles fondly of her memories with Shawn chasing them with the hose only for them to sneak up and chuck buckets of water over him. Their mamma would be threatening to spank them for making a mess and their daddy would hide and throw water-bombs and he once threw it at their mamma by mistake when she was chasing Shawn with the broom, daddy didn't get his bowl of desert that night. She laughs at her daddy's attempts to swoon their mamma, she didn't fall for his old tricks and they all snuck him a share of their deserts when their mamma's back was turned to them at the kitchen sink, he was just too cute watching them eat for them to refuse.

"This ain't so bad then?" Tara asks pulling a face looking at her damp clothes not believing people could sweat more than she just had.

Beth shakes her head.

They hear footsteps coming up the spiral staircase and they jump up and make their way out of the stock room to see their boss, Carol Peletier. She looks around and a pleased smile spreads across her face. She turns to see both Beth and Tara making their way out the stock room, she makes her way over.

"Girls, everything looks great!" Carol beams when she sees all the once shambolic clothing hung back up neatly on the rails that parents had just cycloned through without a care of the time and patience required to keep the store looking this presentable and inviting.

"You got all the sale tags up on the sale section?" Carol says in disbelief and turns to them.

"Beth suggested we do it today and I'm so glad we did! That's one less job for tomorrow so we can concentrate on the kids and their flustered parents." Tara turns to Beth giving her a huge smile for her idea, the boss was pleased.

"Thinking ahead! I like that!" Carol says to herself.

She was using her initiative and doing jobs without even being told to, it was like clockwork to her, it made sense to get the tedious jobs done and out the way when there was no customers waiting for assistance. She was good with customers, she liked to help them as much as she could so the less time dealing with those jobs, the more time she gave to them and making sales hitting those targets. She could help any clueless customer, taking a few personal details of the child and what they're into and she'd pick out a few outfits and the kids would love them. The parents would come back a couple of weeks later and they'd personally ask for her to help them and it was a rewarding feeling to see them bouncing out the shop with their purchases, she'd helped them even if it was just picking clothes.

The dads who never had a clue what to buy their kids would turn to Beth's welcoming smile. The men seemed to take a special shining to her, they'd buy whatever she'd suggest their kids would be into and they'd return the next time and Tara would always tease her that they had little crushes on her to which she'd wave off as just them being gratified for her help. Carol was getting good vibes and feedback. She still hadn't found an assistant manager for the children's department and maybe she didn't need to look any further taking a glance over at Beth, she was trustworthy and had a keen eye for detail and knew what to do as soon as she walked through the doors, she was an excellent candidate.

"I'll have to check the men and women's department, see if they've done theirs" She frowns hoping Jessie and Gareth remembered, they had the bigger departments and they always needed to be sent emails or text messages as reminders.

Beth and Tara give each other a look knowing neither department had. Beth had gone to look at some dresses in her lunch break hoping to find out what would be on sale. Amy had said she didn't know and that Jessie hasn't mentioned it to anyone. Tara had gone to see Noah and Zach to see if they could get some groceries after work but they had been invited out to a bar and had hoped she and Beth would join them as the invitation was an extended one to everyone - there were no sales items ready to be priced up either in the men's department.

"Did you iron these?" Carol asks on closer inspection of the dresses pulling out one of the skirts that caught her eye to take a better look.

"Yeah Beth's been at it for the past hour!" Tara informs Carol.

"And Tara helped, she's also been carrying those heavy deliveries up!" Beth adds quickly not wanting to take all the credit.

Tara was doing a lot of the more strenuous chores that nobody really saw and she was standing right there proof looking flustered and drenched otherwise she had really bad sweat glands.

 _Hmmmm_ Carol hums to herself.

Carol turns back to the girls and folds her arms over her chest looking satisfied and seeing how worked out and tired they both looked. She was impressed at their dedication and it was 8pm, past both their normal hours and it was Friday night, they should be out hitting the clubs and bars having fun like the others.

"I'm interviewing for Amy's replacement and I wanted one of you girls to sit in with me and decide if they'll be able to do the job. The other girls are good but you two are impeccable, the best sales assistants I've had in a long time working for me!" Carol praises them, she was impressed with the both of them "I also want one of you to design the next window display for the new lines, it's a big deal!" She watches them to see their expressions.

Beth and Tara and look at one another not knowing what to say or react. Beth hasn't learnt how to take compliments from her boss and looks at Tara pink in the face blushing.

"Are you talking to us?" Tara asks out loud seeing Beth's face getting Carol's attention.

Carol looks at Tara and then to Beth and she bursts into a laugh placing a hand on each of their shoulders and looking each of them in the eyes, they were sweet girls. She takes a bit longer to observe Beth seeing her shyness. Her eyes soften remembering she was once shy as Beth but she'd overcome her insecurities and is now the successful businesswoman she is today, the store was her success and identity now. Beth looks up and their eyes connect. Carol genuinely smiled little and when she did, it was when she meant it. Beth's small lips form into a smile returning Carol's widening one.

"Yes Tara, I'm talking to the both of you! I've observed you both close and from afar and I'm very satisfied. You guys do this job day in and day out and you'll be the ones showing the new assistant the ropes so we can flip a coin if you'd like?" Carol asks wanting to give Tara an opportunity too, she too had her qualities.

They both face each other and shrug their shoulders and turn back to Carol who's pulling a coin out from her suit pocket.

"Heads will be the interview and tails will be window display, so call out before I pick!" She tells them both "Go!"

"Heads!" Tara calls out "Tails!" Beth calls out at the same time as Tara.

Carol shakes her hand playfully and then opens it. They all lean forward and take a look at the result.

"Well it looks like Tara will be joining me with the interviews and Beth you'll be designing the window display!" Carol informs them happy they both got what they wanted.

"Sweet!" Tara says "I always wanted to see what it's like be on the other side of the table firing the dreaded questions!" She grins rubbing her hands together and stops "I'll be completely professional and unbiased!" She promises wiping her hands down the side of her uniform flashing her teeth.

"I know you will." Carol smiles and turns to Beth.

"I hope you're as excited as Tara?" Carol asks Beth.

"Oh yes I am! I've seen the new line and I do have a few ideas, more than a few, I'll get to work on them right away!" Beth says enthusiastically clasping her hands together biting down on her lower lip smiling. She's always wanted to dress the window everyone would see.

 _There, that there, that's what I wanted to see!_ Carol smirks.

"Good and the next time, I'd like you to partake in the interviews and Tara to do the display. We're getting busier, all the party seasons are coming up and our loyal customers will be back and I'm counting on them bringing friends and families and if things go well, we'll be hiring more staff and I won't need to pay for someone I don't know or particularly like arranging my windows. You both will be rewarded for your efforts."

"Did I tell you, I LOVEEEE THIS JOB!" Tara says clearly and slowly wondering what rewards they'd be getting, she hoped a slight wage increase.

"Good! Happy staff means happy customers means happy store which equals a very happy store owner!" Carol smiles putting her coin into the charity box.

"Mom!" Comes a voice running up the spiral staircase.

"Hey baby, is it that time already?" Carol asks looking up at the big clock on the wall.

"Yeah mom, it's real late!" She tutts back jokingly "AND I'M STARVING!" Sophia says waving back at her babysitter and Carol waves too in thanks.

"Well I guess it's time to grab some dinner at T-Dog's Burger Bar, I don't feel like cooking tonight!" Carol suggests knowing the squeal to follow which she loved to see and hear, Sophia was so happy nowadays and it lights her heart.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Sophia jumps up and down clapping her hands excitedly "Can Beth and Tara come too?" Sophia asks turning around hopping on one foot to the other now dancing to the music playing in the background looking at them both and mouthing "please!"

Beth and Tara can't help but laugh at Sophia, she was one hyperactive kid.

Carol looks over to the both of them "I'm buying?" She adds.

"That's kind of you Mrs Peletier but I have to get home and call my father, I haven't spoken to him in over seventy-two hours and I know I'll have a message on my phone reminding me that he still exists and it could last an hour trying to pacify him but thank you for the kind generous offer." Beth apologises to Carol and turns to Sophia "Maybe next time Sophia, we can split one of those Sundaes!" Beth suggests to the little girl.

"You promise?" Sophia asks lifting her brow questionably and holds out her pinkie finger for a swear.

Beth looks down at Sophia's finger and smiles.

"Promise!" Beth says pulling out her pinkie finger and they pinkie swear.

"I'll take a rain check as well." Tara informs them.

"No, you go, you can't let Sophia down as well!" Beth urges Tara to go.

"Are you sure?" Tara asks frowning not liking the idea of Beth going home alone and she going out having fun and eating the best burgers in the city.

"Definitely sure!" Beth says shaking Tara's shoulders adamantly that she had to go or else.

"Okay, I'll bring you back a Double Mad Max Burger with the works and those sweet potato fries you like so much!" Tara says over her shoulder "A late night snack!" She adds as Sophia pulls her towards the staff corridor to the lockers to grab her things.

"I need to quickly have a wipe down and change my top!" Tara informs Sophia.

"Well hurry up then!" The little girl laughs when Tara show her embarrassing sweat patches "Ewwww!" She giggles turning away looking the other way continuing to tap on her feet bopping her head.

"I know!" Tara laughs along hiding behind the locker door, wiping herself down with cleansing wipes, changing her top and spraying herself "All done! I'll take a shower when I get home."

Beth's stomach was grumbling whilst helping Carol lock up at the thought of getting her teeth stuck into her favourite burger. She'll get to speak to her parents, tell them her news and end the night with a yummy burger, today had shaped up to be a good day and tomorrow was going to be an even better day. She just had this feeling within herself something amazing was going to happen, was beginning. She laughs at her self's positivity, she was starting to smile and laugh and looking forward to the new days again.

"Well thanks for today Beth and I'll see you bright and early tomorrow, say hello to your father and tell him how well you're doing, I'm sure he will be delighted to hear your news!" Carol leads Beth to grab her stuff.

Beth hugs Sophia and Tara and says good night to Carol and they all depart. The threesome go to Carol's car to go to the burger bar and Beth makes her way to grab the train to go home. A ten minute train ride and a two minute walk, she'll be home. The guys had gone straight to the bar after their shift so she'd have the apartment all to herself most of the night, it was rare and she looked forward to relaxing and maybe play her guitar after her phone call, she's neglected her faithful friend for too long.

She takes out her cell from her bag and sees she's had a missed call and there was a voice message waiting to be listened to. She smiles knowing who it would be, he left long messages, she wonders what he was going to use to entice her to go back home.

She looks up hearing the station's announcement, the last call before departure. She sees her train from a short distance and begins to sprint like a mad girl throwing her bag over her shoulder before the doors closed, there wasn't another for another hour. She makes it just as the doors begin to close. Seeing a free seat, she jumps into it and slips down slouching, head thrown back catching her breathe. That was her cardio for today, she knew she needed to start running again, she missed her early morning runs and riding her horse. She puffs out a breath and a man opposite lets out a small laugh, she looks up to see a good looking guy, looks to be in his mid-twenties smiling at her having been watching her since she made her mad dash to catch the train. She smiles back embarrassed and groaning internally sitting up straight and then to avoid any conversation or being asked for her number, she lifts her cell to her ear and pretends to be busy and listens to her message from her father.

"Oh daddy, you silly old fool as if I'd forget you!" Beth smiles to herself when she hears him ramble on and sends a text message to her mother informing her that she's on the train and will call in twenty minutes once she gets in to have a quick catchup as they're out at dinner. She knew sending her father a text message on his cell would be useless, he'd not know he had one waiting to be picked up and would just mope that she hadn't contacted him. He wasn't so good with technological gadgets preferring to use a phone that connects to a landline socket.

She sticks in her earphones listening to her itunes and sad music comes on. She doesn't change it, continues to listen and just watches the buildings zoom by and then she's into greenery of trees and shrubbery knowing she's left the city and making her way to the picturesque suburb of King County, her adopted home until she was ready to go back home. She frowns leaning her head against the window when the train slows down and she sees a couple kissing passionately on the platform, she closes her eyes at the painful memory.

 _ **Flashback**_

She stood at the train station pacing up and down waiting for his train to roll in. She missed him and couldn't wait to see him and tell him about how her interview with the school had gone, she was going to take it, they loved her but she wanted to discuss it with him before she accepted.

She sees the train approaching and decides she'll surprise him as he walks up towards the exit, catch him off guard, be spontaneous, he'd like that. She looks down at her dress she wore for her interview, a cute little smart dress he liked, he'd be pleased to see her legs out and not hidden in her jeans and boots that she normally runs around in, living on the farm it was that or chance all your best clothes getting muddy. She'll stay round his tonight she decides and they could catch up and she'll show him how much she missed him, he'll like that as well, she blushes.

She peers from behind the pillar and sees Seb getting off. He looked so handsome 6ft tall, brandy coloured eyes, dirty blonde hair, tanned and very manly looking in his smart jeans and button down. Many girls fancied Seb but he had chosen her. She remembers the time he purposely bumped into her in college to get her attention. He was such a tease pretending to be hurt and she fell for it feeling bad and then he said he'll be fine if she went on a date with him and then her smile freezes when she sees her fiancé turning around helping a girl off the train and he pulls her into a sloppy kiss, his hands roaming over her body as she drapes hers over him. She gets a better look and she recognised the beautiful brunette girl as Ashley, his work colleague.

This couldn't be happening she told herself as her heart races. She came here to surprise him, he was coming back from a weekend conference, the conference he's been going on about for weeks.

She hides behind the pillar when she sees them break away from their kiss. He was now whispering into Ashley's ear and she saw her slide her hand down from his neck, down his chest all the way down to his crouch. She saw Seb tremble and grin pulling her up towards him, they were laughing!

They both had travelling suitcases and she moves away pressing her back against the pillar trying to comprehend what she had just seen. She heard them giggling as they make their way towards her, she moves around so they don't see her and hears them arranging to meet later that night round his, she nearly loses her footing grabbing the pillar for support.

She can't think properly, this wasn't happening. Before she knows what she's doing, she grabs her phone watching them make their way towards the exit letting go of one another. She calls Seb's number watching him. She watches him grab his phone and stare at the display screen, his face dropped. After a second, he looks at Ashley and she looked like she knew who was calling and she looked fed up. _She looked fed up!_

Seb reluctantly answers, her heart plummeted more, she thought she knew him, she loves him but like they say, love is blind and she'd been blinded by his charm. The ringing stops and she knows he's answered. She musters all the courage she had.

"Hey baby, when do you arrive back home?" She asks in her chirpy voice a little forcefully holding back the lump suck in her throat.

"Hey babe, I'm not coming back until tomorrow, I'll see you tomorrow and we can catch up, I better go, I had to come out of the conference to take your call, better go, love you!" He says into the phone.

 _Love you!_ Beth repeats to herself, he didn't know what the word meant.

"Okay." Is all she says at his deceit.

She watches as the two leave and get into a waiting taxi.

She walks over and slumps down onto a nearby bench and before she knows what she's doing she's crying silently to herself, her vision gets blurred, she closes her eyes trying to erase and wash away the last five minutes. Five minutes that told her, what she had was nothing but a horrible lie and she was the biggest idiot there could be. She lets out a pained sob and curses herself for being so blind and stupid. Passer-by's walk by not knowing what to do. She wanted to leave but her feet wouldn't move, she was stuck on the bench in the middle of a busy train station.

"Beth?" She hears and when she lifts her eyes slightly, she sees none other than Daryl Dixon crouched down in front of her looking at her concerned.

He just waits for her to speak in her own time, he doesn't badger her with questions and before she knows what she's doing, she leans over on this shoulder and cries. Daryl doesn't know how to react to this, a crying woman on his shoulder, he wasn't comfortable with this much contact with anyone especially Herschel Greene's daughter. He feels the wetness of her tears running down his bare arm.

 _Shit, what the fuck do I do?_ He says to himself.

He looks around hoping someone would come and take over but hearing her sniffles and body tensing, he feels his arms move, his eyes look down not knowing what his arm was doing, he didn't do comfort and before he knows it, his hand is resting on her back and the other is now on her head and it's gently stroking her ponytail. He remains quiet and lets her cry. They were getting more stares and he just throws daggers at everyone walking past to mind their own damn business and they run for their lives.

After another couple of minutes, Beth realises she had just thrown herself at Daryl Dixon and cried all over him. she could see her mascaraed tears all over his arms.

"I'm sorry, so sorry!" She wipes her nose moving away.

"S'alright, ya didn't melt me." He replies sneaking a look at Beth beneath his bangs.

Beth catches him staring and he averts his eyes watching the train move away. If Beth wanted to talk, she'll talk in her own time, he'll wait and then he'll just listen.

She just looks at him wounded and miserable with those big blue eyes hoping he would take away her pain.

"I ain't no agony aunt nor a psychic!" He says out loud and curses himself, that was an internal thought, wasn't meant to come out realising he had just invited her to unburden herself on him, wondering what was wrong with him.

"Daryl, he lied to me, he lied about everything, he lied and I've been such a fool, such a fool!" She cries again.

Daryl didn't need to be told what she meant, _he_ Daryl knew was the snot nosed kid Sebastian Blake, the pretty boy she was to be married to. Daryl wonders what girls see in the guy, he wonders what Beth sees in him.

"Ya not a fool, he's the fool!" Daryl corrects her.

"I am a fool, how long has he had been cheatin' on me whilst I've been goin' around like a freakin' clown!" She sits there looking at her engagement ring.

Daryl looks at the diamond ring, it didn't look like a ring that went on her slender finger, it was too chunky and ugly looking - diamond or not, it was one nasty looking ring.

"What's a classy gal like ya doin' with a guy like that?" Daryl has to ask.

Beth looks up at Daryl and she looked like a completely different Beth he knew. He'd always known her to be happy, smiling and beaming rays of sunshine wherever she went and Seb had messed with the wrong girl. Beth is Herschel Greene's baby girl, Shawn Greene's baby sister, Maggie Greene's sister, he didn't want to be around when the Greene's got a hold of Sebastian Blake.

"I gave him my heart, he took it, broke it and he threw it back! I can feel it and it feels like its shattered into pieces and it hurts! I set myself up for this and daddy warned me to slow down, not to make any hasty decisions and what did I do, I didn't listen to daddy, I just blindly agreed and I deserve this!" She looks away realising how utterly and completely stupid she's been.

"If ya stupid…then me an' Merle are the stupidest stupid's out there and we done plenty stupid, ya just trusted someone who ain't worthy of ya trust, ya too good for that dumb piece of stupid, me an' Merle can go do somethin' stupid to stupid _Sebastian_ if ya want?" Daryl asks gruffly.

"No!" Beth shakes her head standing up and Daryl stand beside her.

She played with her hands looking at the train pulling up just wanting to jump on and get out of there. Daryl sees this hoping she wasn't going to because he'll have to get on in after her and throw her over his shoulder and take her home kicking and screaming and he'd do it, Herschel was good to him and Merle, Miss Annette treated them like men not rednecks and he didn't want the elders to be hurting nor did he like Beth hurting, she needed her family.

"Ya wanna ride home?" He asks when he sees Beth's foot move forward ready to grab her.

Beth just shakes her head and turns around and makes her way slowly out the station. Daryl watches a broken Beth following her and sees her walking to her car, she gets in and make a dash towards home. He watches the dust she leaves behind and he feels like being stupid tonight.

Later that evening, Daryl and Merle kick down Seb's door and find him eating dinner with the leggy brunette. Merle walks over and sits opposite the brunette whose sitting there with a bed sheet loosely wrapped around her.

"Well howdy there sugar tits!" Merle says taking a peak and giving a low whistle.

She scoots over towards Seb grabbing the sheet up to cover her breasts.

"Seb who are these men?" Ashley asks Seb.

"Sebby's an friend of ole Merle!" Merle smirk winking at her.

She buries her face into Seb's back as he sits there frozen scared stiff at who were gate-crashing at his house. Merles takes a look at Seb's face and hears a noise coming from under the table. He leans down and takes a look.

"Little Sebby just took a leak at the dining table!" Merle scoffs "Didn't ya ma teach ya to use the potty!" He asks turning his attentions back on Ashley.

"Ya know Jabroni Squirty here's engaged to that sweet thang Miss Bethy Greene?" Merle asks leaning over grabbing her plate and begins to eat her dinner licking his fingers and grabs the wine bottle and drinks straight from the bottle.

"This the good stuff?" Merle asking taking another swig and getting to his feet looking at the photos.

"Here she is, Miss Beth, pretty gal!" Merle smiles pointing at Beth and Seb smiling up into the camera "And here and here!" He adds and then turns towards the girl and leans down beside her ear.

"Ya do know she exists!" Merle questions and then turns her chair around to face him and she squeals.

Merle tutts shushing her running his palm down her face that still had the remains of food on it, she swats it away.

"She's a young lady, I'm guessin' ya not!" Merle eyes roam over the bed sheet squatting down trying to take a look up and Ashley closes her legs tightly together.

"Seb!" She yells.

"What's ya hourly rates, I've got a twinkie bar here somewhere," He digs deep into his pocket and throw a squished bar on to the table "and this bottle here of wine, that enough for ya services?" He asks unbuttoning his jeans ready to whip himself out for her.

"Merle!" Daryl yells knowing Merle would actually do it and he didn't need to see his wrinkly.

"Why d'ya always have ta take away my fun Darlyna!" Merle moans.

Daryl glares at Merle and he holds out his hands laughing. Daryl focuses his attention back on Seb.

"Hey!" Daryl gruffs.

Seb looks up at the younger Dixon.

"Stupid Jabroni, what the hells the matter with ya?" Daryl finally slaps Seb's face in irritation remembering Beth's crushed face.

"I'm sorry! SORRYYYYYY!" Seb cries out.

"Na! Na! Na!" Merles wags his finger "Ya say that ta sweet gal and to her daddy!"

"NO!" Seb cries not wanting Beth to find out about his affair "I love Beth, this was just to get it out of my system before I tied myself down for life with one person and I'm ready for that, to spend it with Beth! I'm ready to be an honest man to her" Seb insists begging looking from one Dixon to the other but they both looked menacing, he closes his eyes.

"What!" Ashley yells.

 _"_ "Ya sure talkin' the talk, you ready ta walk the walk?" Daryl asks lifting out his pocket knife and scratching the table with it.

"I, I don't understand what d'ya mean?" Seb stutters looking over at Daryl the quieter of the two.

"Ya just said ya ready ta be an honest man to her, so go and tell her to her face - ya mistake, repent, ask for forgiveness and Beth'll decide what she wants ta do!" Daryl tells him slamming his knife blade down into the expensive wooden table.

"I can't, she'll be crushed!" Seb answers looking side to side to see if he had a way to escape.

He and everyone have heard all the stories of the Dixons and there have always been talk from when he was younger, that Merle Dixon has made men disappear without a trace. He ended a man or two's lives and gotten away with murder, he wasn't sure if the rumours were true but Merle Dixon looked unhinged sitting there laughing to himself whilst drinking and then smacking his face howling like a wolf.

Seb lets out a muffled cry shaking his head wondering what they were going to do to him.

Daryl and Merle both had enough. Daryl throws a blindfold over Seb's eyes and kicks him off the chair and he lands with a thud on the floor. Daryl restrains his arms.

Ashley tries to smack Merle and he just laughs and takes off his belt, she screams and runs towards the bedroom and locks the door pushing the bed up against it and Merle just laughs.

"Could always make the ladies scream out loud!" He says tying Seb's feet up with his belt.

They drag Seb out the house and throw him into the back of the truck. Seb was trying to scream through the cloth around his mouth, his attempts fail when the engine just roars and they're speeding away.

An hour later the truck stops and Seb waits huddled in the corner and when he feels a hand on him, he begins to thrash out apologising.

"Beth's a friend a mine, her daddy and mamma are nice people and my friends deserve to be treated with respect and ya disrespected her and I don't like that one bit…she knows what cheatin' ass ya are, she saw ya at the station with ya cheap skank and she knows about ya secret rendezvous!" Daryl spits with disgust.

Seb is shocked speechless, Beth knew.

"She called ya at the station, she was standin' there watchin' and ya lied and she saw everythang!" Daryl informs the now pale faced Seb.

"So why all this then?" Seb screeches hysterically.

"Because nobody messes with our gal and we gonna teach ya what happens to dickslingers!" Daryl tells him.

"This is us goin' easy!" Merles looks around "I actually wanted to drop ya off at Gator's Swamp!" Merle informs Seb "Darlyna thought it better if they hunted ya out, although I can see the fun it that now! Ever wrestled a Gator?" Merle asks.

Seb stare swallowing hard.

"I did and it took ma hand but I made belts outta it!" He laughs putting his belt back in his jean loops and whistles into the air "Come boys, dinner time!" Merle bashes the trees as he walks back to the truck.

"What!" Seb screams jumping around looking out for Alligators, he didn't recognise the woods they had taken him to, it looked murkier than the ones he's trekked through.

Daryl throws Seb one last icy cold blue stare, he cowers standing there naked, Merle had snatched his boxer sometime from the kidnapping from the house to the woods. Daryl follows Merle and jumps into the driver's seat. They leave him in the middle of nowhere in the nude with dickslinger marked all over his body and forehead in permanent marker. Merle's handiwork.

"Sees ya not later!" Merle cackles leaning out the window watching Seb running and then coming face to face with an oncoming car and there's beeping and whistling going on and the car leaves him knowing it was the work of Merle.

"Well baby brother, this was fun!" Merle tells Daryl looking back in the rear-view mirror.

 ** _End of Flashback_**

"Excuse me Miss!"

Beth opens her eyes, looks up to see the good looking guy.

"This your stop?" He nods at the sign King County.

Beth looks around and takes out her earphones.

"Yeah, thank you!" She smiles and gets up and steps out of the train.

The guy follows stepping out beside her.

"I've seen you a few times and I've been thinking how to ask you out for a drink?" He asks with a gorgeous smile.

Beth looks up at him and her smile fades away.

"I'm sorry, I'm a lesbian and my girlfriends waiting for me at home, sorry." Beth replies, turns around and walks home.

Once she unlocks her door, she walks over to the couch and falls down into it lying on her back staring out the window.

"Hey daddy, stop your moping this instant you silly old fool!" She says once her dad picks up and she smiles when she hears her daddy erupt into laughter and her mamma in the background apologising to Milton and Andrea for Herschel's rudeness, explaining that he was waiting for an important call.

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 **A/N: This story will be a couple of chapters long and then the update on The Journey will be posted in the New Year.**


	2. Chapter 2

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** Thanks to those reading and thank you to Guest, Guest, brinxb and malzateb for your comments!

 **WARNING:** Death during Childbirth

 **DISCLAIMER:** I do not own the Walking Dead or its characters

Apologies in advance for any spelling and grammatical errors. _Thoughts in Italics_

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 **Two Broken Hearts Eventually Beat As One**

 **Chapter 2**

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Driving the long stretch of Highway 85 leading to Atlanta, Rick concentrates on the vehicles in front making sure he was at a safe distance and keeping with the speed or below it. There was a red sports car up ahead changing lanes every so often and cars were having to suddenly slam down on their brakes and it was irritating as hell for him and everyone else on the road plus he had his kids on board so he was being extra cautious, keeping his cool and his mouth in check - he didn't need Carl to hear the fluent curse words jumping around in his head and just prayed one didn't slip out accidently. He'd been doing that recently and was dreading for the moment the school called him in to talk about Carl's bad use of words that he learnt from his father. There was a four lettered word beginning with "F" and the next word ended with YOU came to mind. He'd never use it with the Vice Principle, think it but not actually say it like the many times he called him for a parents meeting because of Carl's non committal in lessons and not getting the grades he once used to.

Had he been on duty, he'd have flashed his lights at the sports car and signalled the idiot driver to stop at an emergency refuge area and given him or her a verbal thrashing and a ticket fine to go with it for dangerous and negligent driving. But today he wasn't going to. He was off duty and he didn't have the time nor the patience but he'll definitely send a text to one of the guys on highway patrol today and they could do a stop and grill. When he sees the sports car cut up a driver, rev and screech off, he decides he'll message Abraham, he was all hoots of fun and joy - sports car would have wished to have taken a different route not the one he was one because right now, he just wanted to get into the city and get everything he needed over and done with and back out on the highway back home to make all the necessary checks and calls to be sure he had covered everything he had forgotten to do a couple of days ago. He wished he had taken up Jenny's offer for help, she wanted to help and he had declined wanting to do it by himself.

 _Mega Fail!_ He says to himself puffing out of the open window.

He looks down at the dashboard clock, it was nearly 9.30am and he should be asleep right now after pulling a night shift but here he is doing the last minute errands for tomorrow. He curses himself for forgetting because he was too absorbed in work, trying to make up the year out he took to care for Judith when she was born and Carl. That was a year and eleven months ago now. He didn't need to make it up to anyone nor did he need to prove himself to anyone but to himself he did, he didn't know if he could be _that Cop_ he once was and he was pushing himself to be that excellence he was and maybe it was too much. He's been back to work for eleven months but was forced to take a backseat by the Sheriff when he returned. That had been a knock to his confidence, tough to take - he was always the one people looked to, leaded and now he was the one following orders and assignments and that by none other than Shane! It felt like he was in some alternate universe and he was living in it and wanted to wake up and the fact that Shane wasn't rubbing it in his face made him feel worse for going easy on him. Maybe he is the jerk out of the two for wanting Shane to be smug and in his face, he wasn't.

Best friend, Deputy Shane Walsh and Deputy Lambert Kendall had taken over his role sharing the responsibilities between them and once this month was over, he'd have his review and if all was satisfactory, he'd get his position back once The Sheriff and the Station's shrink thought he was ready and capable to resume as the Senior Deputy of Staff. That day has been pencilled in his calendar at home for eleven months now and it was just a month to go and he'll know what his fate will be.

He knew they all wanted him to fully recover before jumping back into the deep end. He needed to be monitored to make sure he could resume his position of authority. It just got to him, being watched and monitored and appraised, he felt like he was a rookie again and the shrink had another younger shrink who deals with children counselling Carl upon suggestion by The Sheriff and he agreed. Carl did need the counselling and he couldn't really afford to go private so he'll forever be grateful to his Chief but sometimes he thought they were checking to see how _he_ was holding up and to see if he wasn't slipping up at home, Carl unknowingly being their spy. It was silly but it wasn't completely untrue, they were checking to see if he was able to juggle home and work properly and right now he was doing better on the work front and lacking on the home front. He hasn't found an in between or a balance and it was making him restless knowing he could do better as a father, he needed to do better.

Carl hasn't said anything to his counsellor and he didn't know whether to be thankful to his son or be worried that he didn't care or was frightened what could happen. He heard Carl talking to Duane one night at a sleepover that if he said his dad was lacking at his parenting, he could lose his job and maybe lose them and he didn't want to be split up from Judy, she was all he had left of his mom. That had been a massive kick and stamp in his gut. He was startled to think Carl was thinking about stuff like that, that was worries for adults not children and he was thrown into self-re-evaluation…what would he do if he had to give up being a Cop? He'd have to find an alternative profession and the only other jobs he could think he'd be able to do but hate the same would be, working in security or truck driving, what else is he qualified for? All he's known since school is the police force, he knows nothing else. He needed to do something otherwise he could see his family affected severely if he doesn't get his shit together.

He wasn't sure if he was doing things right, always second guessing himself. He was trying to deal with everything and get his life back on track. He needed something, guidance, a light to show him the way, tell him he was doing it right, anything to make him believe in himself again and possibly help mend his splintered heart before he went back into a worse than before depression and he didn't want to rely on drugs, he refused them the first time round they offered them to him. A natural drug if there were such a thing but not any pills he knew he'd reply heavily on them and would most definitely get addicted and he couldn't afford to do that, it would put him in more shit than he already was in.

The car in front begins to slow down and Rick baffled as to why straightens up to see what was happening up ahead. He narrows his eyes and now frowns internally groaning when he sees the masses of cars merging into the highway from the intersection. There was now a jam up ahead because of it. When he looks at the other side of the highway existing the city, it was sparse. It looked like everyone and their mother had decided to go into the city today. He wonders if he'll ever make it out and the huff that Carl gives, doesn't go unnoticed by him and he grips the wheel tighter and has to loosen them before his knuckles turned white and Carl saw.

 _Great_ He says to himself coming to a stop tapping at the steering wheel doubly annoyed, peeved at himself the more.

It was going to be a long painful day and he hasn't had sleep in, he believes up to twenty-seven hours. He can feel the throbbing in his head and the grumbling in his stomach. He was too busy trying to get a word out of Carl and running around after Judith that he forget to grab something quick for himself, he missed his dinner or breakfast, he forgot which having to deal with a call out, he hasn't eaten since before he started the shift he finished.

As soon as he got home at 6.20am, he let the babysitter go home. She looked exhausted too and must have had a hard night because she left without taking her night's earnings which was a first. He had scrunched up the notes and shoved them back into his pocket watching her stumble out the door, down the porch steps and into her car and off she went down the wrong way, reversed back and turned and went the right way. He closed the door and set off up the stairs, the house had felt eerily quiet and messy he noted picking toys up as he went and tripping up over a small piece of lego. He had interrupted the quiet and had the urge to say the "F" word but held back as he fell up the stairs grumbling and grunting instead. People usually fall downstairs, he can't even do that right he groaned. He crawled up and into Judith's room, turned off the night light and peered into the cot and he felt some peace when he saw Judith peacefully asleep sulking her thumb. Walking into Carl's room to see him asleep in the top bunk hugging his childhood teddy, he too was peacefully asleep. It was moments like this he cherished, his kids safely tucked up in bed asleep with no worries, hopefully dreaming of ponies and basketball.

He kissed Carl's head something his son wouldn't let him do any more if he had been awake but he had to break the peace. He woke both Carl and Judith and forced them to get ready and eat breakfast so they could be out the door by 8am which went on to become 9am because Judith couldn't find her doll and wouldn't stop crying. He asked her to remember what her steps were and the last time she had Elsa. Judith had taken hold of his offered hand and was deep in thought, she was not yet two and had a million little things going on in her mind and would forget, Jenny calls her their cute little Dory. Judith had slowly began to retrace her steps and remembered that she was playing hide and seek and she froze with her mouth hung open like she zoned out. Rick was sure she forgot what she was supposed to be thinking about or had gone to potty in her diaper. He had to crouch down and snap his fingers and if by magic she remembered. Letting go of his hand, she ran to the kitchen and pointed to the freezer. She remembered her Elsa doll was hiding in the freezer because she lives in a castle made of ice and snow and all they have was the freezer.

He opened the freezer and Elsa's stiff frozen icy head was sticking out beneath the Potato Waffles. She was covered in frosty ice. He had to run her head and body under the warm tap, he gave Elsa a shower. Judith looked so relieved sitting on the counter in front of him helping towel drying Elsa's hair. He raised his eye and asked how Elsa got in the freezer. She had smiled like Lori, she has Lori's mischievous smile and said when Molly was getting out Fisher Fingers, she slipped it in when Molly wasn't looking, Carl never looked in the freezer and he couldn't cook so he won't look in there. Rick's face twitched and he looked down with a smile, she was the cutest silliest girl he knew and he too couldn't cook but did venture into the freezer. The frozen meals were there when he made a mess of dinner.

Judith was the only one who could make him smile and sometimes laugh. If she had met her mother, she'd learn a lot of funny things about her mother, who as him couldn't cook either. Her meals weren't edible most of the times and they usually went out to the diner for their meals but they'd spend moments just laughing and teasing one another about the dinners she tried to rustle up. They were a family who couldn't cook and the freezer was their saviour and so was the oven. His smile turned into a broken smile. Judith had missed out on all the dramas in the kitchen, Lori's famous pancakes and her weird Surprise Casseroles that she'd joke would pass down to her grandkids and somebody would surprise everyone by making it edible and she'd get praised that it was Granny Lori's Surprise Casserole handed down to the new generations. Judith would never get that recipe nor the time in the kitchen with Lori. But more importantly than all of that, Judith was missing out the love of her mother, she wasn't getting that mother daughter bonding that all little girls get and need. She was stuck with two grumpy males and he feared for how she'd turn out in a few years. She had her innocence now but what happens when she loses it?

He now watches Judith staring out the window holding her dolly to her chest, she was staring at the bridge up ahead, her eyes trying to stay awake taking in the new surroundings. He watches her curiosity of the world around her and she was unaware of everything that had happened of the past and that is how he wanted to keep it thinking back at those memories. Her little eyes begins to close, car journey's always made her drowsy and sleepy, she snuggled into her doll and fell asleep with a smile on her face. If she found out, she'd be forever hurt. He would never tell her and Lori wasn't around any more, it would be something he will take to his grave.

He remembers when Lori didn't want to keep the baby growing inside of her when she found out that she was pregnant but he did, he loved Carl and he was ready to love another child and maybe things would get better but maybe not but this was a part of them. It was true, it was an unplanned pregnancy. It was one night of pent up feelings and frustration but it happened and there was another life to consider. He couldn't even consider an abortion unless it was a last resort. But that was what Lori wanted, it was her body, she didn't want any more kids but she was too far along that the option was no longer an option. He remembers the look on her face when she had the scan to determine how far along she was. She had cried and he had cried from relief and from sadness that she wanted to abort their baby. But as time passed and Lori felt the baby move, she came to terms with the reality and accepted it but _their relationship_ was never the same, they barely spoke and only when it was about Carl or the pregnancy but the times when they did talk about other stuff, it was confrontations, it had been like that for a few years now, it wasn't fun for anyone, especially their friends and family.

He thinks about that day, he shouldn't but he does. He wasn't sure if it was her hormones but he had walked out and off to work when she said he didn't really care about her or Carl and the baby, he just wanted the Kinder-Surprise in her belly and that it would be her raising it whilst he was off living his life. It was like bullets to his heart every time. If he could, he'd give it all up to be with just them but it wasn't possible and he didn't understand her arguments. He wanted to be spiteful back but he knew he couldn't so he just took Carl and dropped him off at school that day. The whole day spent thinking how they were going to get through this, he couldn't carry on ignoring her and bickering when they finally spoke. It hurt deeply that they'd not sorted out their differences and he didn't get the chance to tell her, he still did love her and that she was wrong, he did care, he cared more than she'd ever know and it was too late, she'll never know it, she was gone.

 ** _Flashback_** _\- Please see warning above to avoid if necessary_

Rick and Shane rush down the corridors of the maternity ward to a waiting Morgan and Jenny. They were sitting on the plastic seats, Morgan had his arms around Jenny whilst she had her head buried deep into his chest, he had his lips pressed into her hair staring down at the floor.

"Morgan!" Rick calls out "We were coming back from the city and got the call from despatch that Lori was rushed to hospital!?" Rick repeats what Diane had said over the radio but had no other information "Is everything ok?" He asks panting, slowing down and into a walk and then he stops.

He looks over at Jenny, she was sitting there being quiet not looking at him, her wild hair was obstructing his view of her face. She wasn't jumping up rushing over reassuring him everything was ok like she always does, he was waiting for her to come over hug him and give him her assurances and when she doesn't, he feels his insides twist wanting to call out her name but Morgan lets go of Jenny and takes the few steps and comes face to face with him.

"Morgan?!" Rick says again not tearing his eyes off of Jenny.

Morgan puts both his hands on his arms and clutches making Rick look at him.

"Rick, Lori went into labour," Morgan says ever so softly, voice slightly croaked and Rick looks at him in disbelief.

"But the baby's not due for another eight weeks, we saw the midwife last week, everything was fine!" Rick states and looks back over at Jenny tensing up.

Shane had taken Morgan's seat and had his arm around Jenny's shoulder leaning into her. He sees Shane wiping beneath Jenny's eye and they were whispering and then Shane looks up and their eyes connect. Rick suddenly feels everything spinning around and light headed. He slowly turns his face to stare into Morgan's eyes and he sees sadness and like he'd been crying. Rick can see his friend finding it difficult to find words but he takes a deep breath and then Rick watches Morgan's lip's move.

"Lori started havin' contractions in the mornin' but she thought they were just false alarms and didn't want to worry you. Then when Jenny got to the house late in the afternoon so they could go for their walk before collecting the boys, she found Lori on the floor clutchin' her stomach. She said she had excruciatin' pains and couldn't move. Jenny called for an ambulance. When they got to the house, Lori's waters broke and the paramedics rushed her here and they took her up into emergency surgery. Lori gave consent for the C-Section, they saw in her notes that she was scheduled to have one more nearer the time and with her history - they didn't wait, they had to do it and couldn't wait." Morgan explains.

Rick just stares at Morgan and he was beginning to shake his head slowly.

Morgan watches his friend sadly, waiting for what was to come. They all knew Rick and Lori have been going through a rocky patch in their marriage and when he says what he does, he knows Rick's going to spiral into a world of blame, regret and darkness. A tear has been threatening to come out from Morgan's eye seeing Rick's lost expression but he can't prolong his agony any more. He didn't want to do this but he had to.

"Rick, there were some complications...I'm so sorry," and he takes a deep shaky breath "Lori didn't make it!" Morgan grips Rick's arm lowing his head and the tear drips and falls down.

Rick mouth agape watches Morgan's head drop and then the tear as it descends down and splashes on the floor spreading out and dispersing in every direction and then gone into thin air. He just stares down at the spectacle. He felt he had been pushed off a cliff and hit the ground and broken into a thousand pieces but he wouldn't disappear, he would linger shattered and alone.

"Rick!" Morgan says clutching his face to get him to say something.

"No!" Rick whispers "NO!" He barks pushing Morgan off of him "Where is…where is she?" He stutters.

Shane jumps up rushing over to Rick, he and Morgan try to calm him as he paces not knowing what to do or where to go. Rick just shakes his head looking towards the operating room beyond the double doors and then he looks at Shane, Morgan and then Jenny.

He could now see Jenny's face and her eyes were bloodshot red with endless tears rushing down her face. Rick looks at her shaking his head it wasn't true "Where is she?" He begs, Jenny looks towards the double doors and Rick tears his eyes off of Jenny and dashes towards the operating room.

"No, Rick, Rick!" Jenny cries grabbing his arm and he pulls away.

Shane has blocked the door seeing the inside door open and he got the view of the nurses attending to the body on the operating table, the body he believes to be Lori. He couldn't let Rick see Lori opened up and like that, blood covering the floor.

Shane has to wrestle Rick away from the door and Morgan is beside them trying to help calm Rick down. Rick pushes them all away, they won't let him through. He walks here and there and covers his face crying staring up "Oh no, no, no, noooo!" He grabs his head and then falls to the floor when he can no longer keep his balance and then he hears shrills of a baby echoing through the corridors and in his ears. He stops opening his eyes. His baby, their baby.

 ** _End of Flashback_**

Rick looks back a Judith when he hears her cries echoing in the car from being woken by the loud beeping all around. The cars begin to move again, he gets into gear and follows the car in front, grateful to be moving, eyes lowered following as Carl takes out his earphones, reaches over and runs his hand over his sisters hair lovingly whispering sweet nothings to her. Content listening to her brother, she closes her eyes and falls back to sleep holding his arm snuggled next to her Elsa doll.

Rick looks above at the bridge they pass under and then up at the skyscrapers obstructing the views of the blue sky. He takes a deep breathe, he didn't like coming all the way out to Atlanta, it was a mission most of the times and the people, he never knew how intolerable he'd become. He didn't like to make conversation any more, he avoided it. He'd become a recluse and sheltered from people other than work. Coming to the city means he'll have to make small talk and pay attention whereas back home, people leave him be to get on and know he didn't want to be disturbed. It was hard talking to strangers because when he was with his kids, they'd admire how well behaved they are, how adorable Judith is and mention something about their mother and he couldn't keep saying she was dead, although maybe he should as it was a conversation killer and they'd move along and leave him alone giving him that sympathetic look.

That was a terrible thing to think he realises, shows how much of a jerk he has become. He scrubs his cheeks roughly with his hand. It was very hard to deal with but he had to push his feelings aside, it wasn't about him anymore, it was about his kids and right now it was all about Carl.

Carl had his head leant on the headrest watching his sister. He always had time for his sister and he didn't mind spending time playing with her, watching over her and had taken it upon himself to do so without being asked. Carl deserved the best and he wasn't getting it.

Duane had told Jenny that Carl didn't want to turn up at his own birthday party to find one of his friends in the same outfit like what had happened at Louis party. Carl and Louis had the same sweater and trousers purchased from the same store that had few options and that wasn't _'_ _cool'_ Duane had told his mom. All the kids laughed at them both and Carl was upset, if his mom had been around, she'd have taken him clothes shopping and _he_ didn't have time to do shopping. He had considered ordering an outfit online but there was no time for delivery and he couldn't afford to return it and reorder if the clothes didn't fit, he would be stuck with a pissed off birthday boy so here they are turning into the parking-lot to go to Peletier's, the store Jenny had recommended was the place to go for originality and nice clothes, a boy only turned twelve once and he should have nice expensive looking clothes and the assistances were helpful and could magic outfits for any kid out of thin air and put smiles on any kid's face.

 _Yeah, I'd like to see one of them try with Carl, that would be a miracle!_ He had said to himself when Jenny told him that.

He closes his eyes for a split second whilst waiting in line. His mind was dwelling back in the past because that's where she is. Lori's face flashes in his mind for a moment. For months after her death, he saw her everywhere just watching him, following him and when he went after her, she'd disappear. Carl saw him running into the backyard and then down the street calling her name the following months after her death. Carl had prayed his mom was still alive and not buried in their Church's graveyard. That was when everyone thought he had cracked and had a breakdown. He hates himself for losing his mind back then and now being too focused on work thus forgetting Carl's birthday. He forgot to send out the birthday party invitations. Last year they kept it just a sleepover of Duane, Louis and Patrick but this year, Rick wanted Carl to have a normal birthday party like the ones he always had before Lori's passing.

He takes a quick glance in the rear-view mirror at Carl sitting staring out the window with his earphones back in his ears again. The volume was far too loud and he almost wants to tell Carl to turn it down or just reach back and do it himself but Carl's not talking to him, he was ignoring him so he was treading carefully not to upset him more than he already had done, he had royally fucked up. He turns his attentions back on the line ahead of him.

He couldn't believe Carl was turning twelve tomorrow. Twelve years ago he remembers being handed a tiny baby. Lori had to be rushed into theatre, she had to have a C-Section then too. It was touch and go but as soon as he was handed Carl, he was able to let out the breath he had been holding when he watched the nurse wrap up the pink bundle and hand him into his arms. He never believed in love at first sight but he instantly fell in love with the eyes staring back at him inquisitively, it was the proudest day of his life and he cried tears of joy when Carl latched onto his finger and didn't look to let go, he was so strong and he was his to take care of. He had lifted Carl to his face and pressed their noses together and spoke to him for the first time and promised he would always love him, protect him, never let anything bad happen to him and teach him about the world just as his father had. His eyes feel moist, he looks out the windows and wipes away any traces of wetness. He was alone in the world with two children and he felt he was failing them both, he couldn't give them all of him just part of him, he was broken and Carl said some hurtful things which made his heart break the more.

Maybe he deserved the harsh reality check Carl had thrown back at him. But it felt like Carl wasn't turning twelve tomorrow, the way he was acting it was more of a neglected teen from a broken home. He had many times over the years had to attend to homes where teens had gone off the handles and majority of the times, it was the parents fault, it was called neglect. He had neglected Carl. He had lost his little boy in the two years and he fucked up one of the two most special days in his life. He's apologised countless times but Carl doesn't want to know. He stormed off hurt and angry and he couldn't blame him, if the shoe was on the other foot, he'd most probably be the same. Carl now just shrugs him off with that pissed off look on his face that Lori always gave him, that was a slap round the face of how bad things had gotten.

When they got into the car, he tried to apologise. Carl had just shoved his earphones on and climbed into back seat behind the passenger's seat next to his sister making sure she was buckled in properly not believing he'd already done it correctly and double checked himself. There was a time when Carl always wanted to sit upfront next to him but he chooses to sitting in the back nowadays. Rick knew their relationship was hanging by a thread and feared the future. He lets out a heavy breath leaning his head on his palm staring beyond.

* * *

"Poor guy! That situation calls for Beth Greene!" Tara points, her eyes wide feeling sorry for the exhausted looking man adjusting her carrot nose and snowman head watching the scene.

Beth comes back from the stock room following Tara's line of sight and sees a Police Officer trying to convince his son to try on a T-Shirt and the boy just turns away giving his back pulling out his cellphone and tapping away at it, he looked sad and fed up. She then sees the man drop his head covering his face with the T-Shirt and she swears she can hear him muffle a groan into it.

"Good Luck!" Tara pats Beth on the back with a smile.

Tara heard the strangled groan too coming from the Police Officer and she quickly waddles off in the opposite way in her Olaf suit. Tara was good at convincing or _tricking_ boys under the age of ten into picking outfits and the boy up ahead with shaggy hair that practically covers his eyes, looks like an Emo Teen Wannabe. He looked taller than an average ten year old and she's been through that Emo Stage and doesn't want to revisit the moody _whatever!_ days.

"Hey!" Beth yells back at Tara wanting to kick her wobbly fat Olaf ass knowing she'd been fixed up to deal with the father and son butting heads and then she sees a little toddler at the Officer's legs tugging at his trouser leg holding a T-Shirt up with a purple dinosaur on it, possibly for her brother. Beth giggles wanting to see the Officer suggest the T-shirt to his son and he does and she covers her eyes in horror knowing what the answer would be. The boy just stares at the T-Shirt, throws a face at his father, sticks his earphones in to his ears, picks up his sister and walks off towards the toys.

Beth places boxes down behind the till. She takes a deep breath, adjusting her costume, the skirt to the dress had twisted. She brushes it down shaking her butt so the wrinkles drop out the silk material and evens out. With a spring in her steps in her teal coloured ballet pumps, she makes her way over determinedly.

Tara was looking over a boy's head smirking at Beth's optimism of being able to help the father and son, she hides her laugh and pretends to bite her nails trying to get a reaction out of Beth. Beth catches Tara as she walks past and she throws Tara a look to stop! She scrunches up her nose and continues on her way. She was going to put a smile on both father and son's face and they will leave the store satisfied with their findings in the store today, she hasn't failed once yet and she wasn't going to start today.

She turns her attentions back to the Officer's back. She could see the tension in his back and neck. She sees the pink rise up on his tanned skin and now she was nervous she had possibly naively misjudged herself and the situation. The boy was giving his father a hard time and daggers from over the other side of the store and he was a Cop, a man to fear. She wonders if they'll take her offer of help and wonders if she should just make a U-Turn by the next rail of clothes back to the till and let one of the other girls help but before she knows it, she's standing behind the Officer pulling up the shoulders of her dress as they'd slipped down again which has to be the hundredth time since she put it on. It was a last minute fun thing the store was doing and Children's Department had chosen Frozen. She had grumbled and she was sure the Officer heard her and would catch her sneaking off when he turned around and she couldn't now, she takes the plunge and accepts the chance of daggers from Father of Emo Child.

"Hi, welcome to Peletier's, may I assist you?" She asks in her soft, calm welcoming voice.

Rick hears someone behind him, he frowns. He'd only walked into the store two minutes and already the sales assistances were harassing him. He begins to turn to decline the help and that he'll call if he needed any assistance. Before he can meet Beth, the whole area's attention is interrupted with the uproar of Judith.

"ELSAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Judith squeals loudly pointing to Beth.

Beth and Rick both look over at Carl standing staring gobsmacked with Judith in his arms who was pointing at Beth.

"Car!" Judith tugs on Carl's arm "Looky Elsy!" She coos scuffing his hair messily.

"Judy!" Carl says shaking his head sorting his hair out.

"Pretty!" Judith adds as her eyes light up seeing Beth's long golden hair braided down one side of her shoulder and then her train to her sparkly dress.

Everyone is staring at Beth and then Rick turns his head and sees a bigger version of Elsa doll in front of him. His frown disappears, the lines on his forehead even out when his eyes focus on the blonde girl beside him tugging up the material on her bare shoulder. Beth stops fighting the material and lets it fall back down when she feels eyes on her, she looks up to see the Police Officer staring at her but saying nothing, their eyes lock and Beth gulps when she sees the man's face and his piercing blue eyes. She smiles and he smiles back and they go back to staring.

Tara is behind Rick waving trying to catch Beth's attention. Beth snaps out and looks away and then sneaks a look back up at Rick.

"What?" Beth says seeing Rick still staring at her, hoping her costume hadn't unravelled, that someone hadn't stepped on the train to her skirt, it hadn't come off. She looks down to check and sighs with relief, it was still there, she lifts the shoulder strap back up.

"I gave you a shower earlier!" Rick answers staring at her.

"Ex...excuse me?" Beth stutters clutching her shoulder to keep the dress from slipping and wrapping her free arm around her waist.

Rick realising what just slipped out his mouth, scrunches up his face and steps forward. Beth steps back and bumps into the shelf behind her, looks back and then at the approaching Police Officer.

"I didn't mean I gave YOU a shower, I gave my daughter's Elsa doll a shower!" Rick clarifies hoping he didn't sound like a creep peering down at her.

Beth frowns - what's a grown man, a Police Officer doing giving his daughter's doll a shower.

Rick sees Beth's face and closes his eyes shaking his head pinching the bridge of his nose for sounding like a creep, he takes a step and then another back to keep within their personal spaces, he was invading her space.

"Our dad don't get out much!" Carl states "He doesn't remember how to speak to women!" Carl mumbles behind him.

Rick opens his eyes, taking his fingers off his nose looking over his shoulder seeing Carl and Judith was climbing up him to take a look to see the human sized Elsa. Judith reaches over to Rick and he grabs hold of her as she practically jumps into his arms and peers down at Beth holding her Elsa doll to her cheek.

"Hi!" Beth says to Judith with a smile who's now shy up close, she grabs hold of Rick's neck.

"Daddddy!" Judith whispers.

She thinks back and her daddy said one day he'll find the real Princess Elsa and introduce them and he has, he brought her to Atlanta and made her dream come true, Elsa was standing right in front of her.

Judith was just staring at Beth just like Rick but he was in some sort of awe of confusion.

"Seriously, do I have something on my face?" Beth asks blushing touching her face "Something repulsive like a wart?" She whispers to herself remembering Zach and Noah had put on warts and fake hair on her as a joke earlier and maybe she forgot to take it all off!

 _Oh please no!_ She says to herself staring at the Officer.

"No!" Rick answers.

He looks away with a frown not sure why he was behaving as he was.

 **To be continued...**


	3. Chapter 3

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** Thank you to those reading and thank you to malzateb and Guest and Guest for commenting on the last chapter.

 **DISCLAIMER:** I do not own the Walking Dead or its characters

Apologies in advance for any spelling and grammatical errors. _Thoughts in Italics_

* * *

 **Two Broken Hearts Eventually Beat As One**

 **Chapter 3**

* * *

"Elsa freezed…Daddy washed her and Elsa not freezed no more...seeee!" Judith sings thrusting and waving her beloved doll in Beth's face.

"Oh!" Beth says taken aback receiving Elsa in her hands as Judith clasps her hands together watching life-size Elsa holding her dolly Elsa happily. She couldn't wait to tell Andre at day-care, he would wish he was with her – her eyes shine brightly.

Rick grabs a tight hold of Judith as she rose and leant too far forward and he observes Beth holding Judith's doll trying to read her thoughts hoping she believed Judith and that he wasn't a sleazy creep trying to hit on her. He curses himself for the way she had backed away from him clutching her shoulder and waist as if shielding herself from him and then he was all up in her personal space hovering over her, holding her gaze waiting for what he was going to do. She froze, he froze and their eyes locked. It felt maybe a beat too long but could have been only just a few seconds, he had forgotten what was happening staring into her eyes.

With Beth distracted by Judith, Rick casts a long look at Beth.

They were big and blue he tells himself. The kind of big and blue that looked as if you were staring straight into deep, clear blue ocean water from a destination you only wished to go and if you looked closer, there was a light blue glow around the edges, then it went a shade darker and then lighter showing some sort of way but to what, was unknown. He felt like he wanted to jump right in and sink into them to find out what laid deep down beneath the surface. What would he find and before he could delve any deeper, he stops all his train of thoughts. He was treading into unknown territory of his thoughts searching for something in this unknown woman's eyes, he shifts uncomfortably averting his gaze adjusting Judith in his arms.

Tara tries to make her way over but her little boy begins to start crying he didn't want to try anything on. She was trying to convince him that he won't be laughed at for wearing a cute pinstriped pants and waistcoat suit that matched his older brothers, they were all meant to wear the same outfit to co-ordinate for their uncle's wedding. The boy was having none of it and had run off and she had to try chase after him in her snowman suit.

Rick hears Beth's voice and chances another look lifting his lids and watching her beneath his lashes for a moment confusedly. She had now let go of her waist she had kept shielded, he assumes she no longer felt him a threat. She was preoccupied by Judith and was smiling down at the doll.

Relief flows through him, he didn't put his hands on her. It would have been for assurance he wasn't going to hurt her and he thanks god he withdrew his hands just in time. She didn't know him, he didn't know her, it would have been inappropriate and possibly catastrophic. It was just, he was instantly (not knowing why) drawn to her, that he could approach her and calm her, he didn't want her to feel threatened at all by him. The mechanics of his brain began to work just in time to register how it looked and what she might have felt. He could've been surrounded by the store's security and dragged out of there had he not stopped and the big security guard walking past if he had seen probably wouldn't have cared if he was a Sheriff's Deputy or not. It was Oscar, Rick sees talking into his radio watching the teenage girls by the accessories section giggling and crowding the area. A former Deputy from Linden County, Oscar was aware he had cracked and had a breakdown, news travelled like wildfire when you had to see a shrink and be taken out of action - Oscar definitely wouldn't have hesitated and jumped him. He wouldn't stand for shit had he seen the scene of uncomfortableness of the shop assistant in front of him. Looking at Beth, he too would have jumped in between her and the person making her feel uncomfortable. He was saved from a scene of public humiliation.

 _Where's ya head at Grimes!_ He scolds himself closing his eyes behind Judith's body, thanking she was angled in such a way blocking his face.

Beth feels that the hair on the doll was a bit damp and she understood now and felt bad for the misunderstanding and her overreaction. She has issues and has had a few guys try it on with her but she remembers the Officer's face of embarrassed shock trying to explain himself for what came out of his mouth distractedly and then he approached and she instinctively backed away from him - it was a reflex reaction, too late to take it back when she realised he was only trying to apologise and then the shame replaced his embarrassment backing away. She wanted to slap herself right then. In all honesty, she had been caught off guard when she had looked up at him before he had even spoke. She had been thrown by how attractive he was, his piercing blue eyes caught hers instantly and she had frozen and then the rest followed remembering where she was and what had come out of his mouth, she hadn't expected it and it was evident, neither did he.

 _Shoot!_ Beth sighs seeing the little girl's face smiling at her waiting for her to speak. She all but smiles back relieved the little girl didn't understand what happened, she just seemed excited whereas her father's demeanour didn't look so good - shifting uncomfortably, the veins on his tanned toned arms holding his daughter were tensed, he felt out of place and uncomfortable.

Beth remembers, he was so stressed and flustered when she saw him one second and then what could have been a comical moment was blown out of proportion, turned into a scene and the dramatic reaction that followed. She feels terrible now wondering how to get past this predicament. He came in to look for clothes for his son and he just wanted to leave but knew he couldn't. Beth didn't want him to leave like this either, feeling like that! He needed help with his son and she wanted to help him if he'd let her.

Beth takes a look over at Rick. She just manages to get a view of part of his face behind the little girls head and he seemed to look disappointed and annoyed with himself and she wants to tell him - not to be! She wants to laugh at the situation and make a joke of it all to put him at ease. If Maggie would have been here, she'd be cackling like a witch wetting herself and be able to turn the situation into something comical for sure and make everyone laugh, Maggie could make the Officer laugh definitely, she wasn't sure she could.

Beth chews her lower lip and she suppresses the laugh she feels inside her now. She has to admit it was quite funny looking back. She was standing there, a grown woman dressed as a fictional character and his daughter practically carries a doll version of her around with her possibly all the time. He must have a zillion things on his mind and he just said whatever he was thinking, seeing her and remembering his morning task. He wasn't expecting to see a live version of his daughter's doll today or any other day in fact and here she is, an imitation standing there hefting the material of her dress back up her shoulder. She's said some silly stuff in her time when distracted out of her thoughts, she couldn't blame him for his blunder, if anything she wanted to apologise.

Beth straighten up and feeling the little round eyes on her, she winks at Judith, she just couldn't help it. The little toddler was such a cutie oblivious to everything and smiling making her relax a little.

Judith draws in her breath, mouth agape dazzled Elsa had just winked at her. She was going to tell Andre what had happened and tell her other friends and then she looks down at her pink leggings and rainbow t-shirt and wished she had worn her Elsa dress. Beth gets a full view of Rick's face as Judith was busy inspecting her outfit and Beth's eyes soften. He looks so sad and so sweet at the same time, like a lost boy, she had the urge to step forward and wrap her arms around him into a hug but obviously holds back. She didn't want to appear a creep and send him and his kids running. She stands there thinking what could she say or do to make him laugh or at least crack a teeny tiny smile!

 _Think Beth! Think!_ She says to herself…and Judith's begins to speak.

"I have princess dress too!" Judith tells Beth shyly, her eyes running over Beth's long sparkly gown.

"I bet yours doesn't keep fallin' off your shoulders! Mine has a mind of its own!" Beth replies with a sigh.

"Mine too!" Judith beams that their dresses were the same "But Daddy fixes it, Daddy's good at fixing!" Judith tells her and she's off explaining she has chocolate stains that her daddy can't take out in her sweet little voice.

"I have coffee on mine!" Beth points with a pout to the big stain where she spilt her morning coffee to fuel her for her long busy day.

Noah and Zach had jumped out of the rails and scared her half to death earlier. Full on chase erupted before opening time, she was pumped to go for the busiest day of the week and she had to walk around with a huge stain on her dress for all to see. The costume guys won't be pleased when she hands it back at the end of the day, hoping her huge award winning smile would distract them as she slips away before they saw it. She had hoped to take it home and clean it but they were told strictly to hand the borrowed garments back by the end of their shift.

 _Urgh and Crap!_ She groans internally.

"Mine too!" Judith exclaims remembering her daddy ironing her dress once and accidently spilling his coffee whilst putting down the iron which knocked over his mug when he tried to save the toast from burning.

"You love a Cup a Joe too huh?" Beth enquiries smiling.

"Who's Joe?" Judith enquiries looking to be deep in thought and Beth laughs and tries to explain focused on Judith now.

Rick's eyes were flickering back and forth between Beth and Judith like he was watching a Wimbledon Match, one spoke and then the other and so forth. He was wondering how he was going to tear his daughter away from the young woman and get them out of this awkward and possibly humiliating situation he was now in, all thanks to himself he scolds.

He couldn't see Judith's face, just the back of her head and body but could bet all the money in his wallet, her eyes were huge and dancing with excitement. She was obsessed with her favourite DVD and was like this every time the movie came on. She's seen it more than he can count, he's seen it more than he would like to admit and he knows all the words to the songs not that he'd ever sing them out loud. But right now, this to Judith he believed to be a whole lot better than sitting at home watching her DVD. Her excitement had reached a whole new level - he never knew that could be possible. He hears Judith talking away more than any child her age does and he doesn't know where she gets it from, he was a hermet and Carl wasn't too far behind with his earphones attached to his ears 24/7, he wants to tell Judith to breathe in between sentences as she moves closer to Beth. His sweet child looked like she wanted to keep the breathing, smiling, pretty looking Elsy.

His narrows his eyes and then frowns at himself. He was beginning to sound like Judith, he hoped his mouth stayed shut before he actually called the assistant Elsy trying to look for her name badge but he couldn't see one. The wrong thing slipped out earlier, he didn't need to start calling her the wrong name as well because wrong names could stick, she doesn't need round two of him making an idiot out of himself trying to explain he knew she wasn't actually called Elsa. This was the affect of disassociating himself from new people and that was why he now kept to himself, talked less, never ventured out of King County unless it was unavoidable. He knew everyone's name there and they knew his, he wasn't looking to learn new names to new faces or make any new acquaintances, a nod and a shake sufficed, interacting with strangers was rare, interacting with a sweet pretty looking stranger- Rick pauses his thoughts and silently groans lowering his head. It sounded so wrong, it sounded like something Shane would say to and about a girl, either way, it was rare, he tries to avoid females in general.

"Olaf is somewhere around here helpin' a little boy, I'll introduce you to him when I see him!" Beth tells Judith "He or she I should say, has sticky strawberry jam down her front from eating a warm gooey jammy dodger!"

Rick hears Beth's quiet conversation with Judith. Her voice was soft and gentle that gave a calming feeling that was soothing it flowed like honey, so feminine and ever so warm. He chances another look, he shouldn't but he does.

Yeah she's young, she's got a smile that could light up any darkened room, a face that could launch a thousand ships, she's definitely pretty, beautiful even and he can't stop staring.

He knows he's perfected a scowl that could be seen as intimidating and could chase wolves away. He hoped he didn't show her it but he knows he must have. He'd just been glaring at her again without reason, he hopes she doesn't see him. Rick lowers his eyes away just as he sees Beth raising hers towards him. This was definitely creepy he tells himself, he needs to stop.

"I was seriously thinkin'," Beth pauses "how on earth am I goin' to give you the rock bottom or a stone colder stunner in this dress!" Beth says gesturing to her dress getting Rick's attention.

Rick's eyes blink back up and to find Beth smiling up at him in a teasing manner as she adjusts the material beside her shoulders again. Nobody has teased or tried to humour him in such a long time. A vision flashes through his mind looking at a tiny innocent looking her. His mouth turns up at the corners, trying to keep it in control and all of a sudden, a loud noise comes out of his mouth.

Carl pulls his earphones out of his ears, eyes blinking to be sure. Judith stops smiling at Beth and looks back at her daddy stunned tensing in his arms in utter shock. Judith had never seen or heard her daddy laugh so loudly, soft gentle small laughs when they'd be playing but nothing in comparison to this, she was fascinated beyond belief. She turns around and sits in the crook of his arm staring at his eyes crinkle at the ends, his mouth spread out wide now revealing a glimpse of his pearly white teeth on show. The warmth of his laugh and breathe with the hint of the soft mint he had eaten in the car hits Judith's face, she all but pushes her face into his to take a closer look. She hadn't quite grasped personal space and Rick didn't seem to mind that she was nose to nose with him. It was a strange but nice feeling, Judith begins to giggle along and decides to rub her nose on his which makes Rick close his eyes laughing gently. Beth notices his laugh was very manly and deeply husky, she watches his face closely.

 _Oh gosh!_ She thinks seeing and hearing him, she managed to get this out of him from one of her stupid comments not believing herself. She wonders what he'll sound like when she actually does say something funny someday.

Carl just stands there observing his dad and Judith. He's witnessed a few tender moments between them but nothing like this in a happy laughing manner. His dad was very protective of Judith, everyone knew it but he didn't go out of his way to show his tender loving side. Carl knew Judith knew their dad loved her, they had their own way of communicating and interacting with one another that nobody understood. She would shower her love to their dad, look up into his eyes and he would look back and take it but had a hard time reciprocating a facial expression showing just how much he loved her. But Carl knew Judith knew in the way she just latched on to their dad and he to her. He guessed it was seeing their mom in Judith especially when you looked deep into her little eyes that was when their dad hesitated and pulled away. Lori Grimes was present and it was like she was looking back at you and Carl had been grateful for that, a piece of his mom lived on in his sister but it pained their dad and he just wanted to yell at him, it wasn't Judith's fault and not to do that, pull away when he should engulf her in kisses and hugs - it hurt to witness those moments. Their dad's way of showing his love towards Judith was keeping her close by and hardly out of his sight and most nights he'd be found sitting in her bedroom next to her cot watching her as she slept and only then being able to drift off himself.

Carl felt jealous at times of Judith but he also felt pity for her at the same time. She got to spend time with their dad but not really spend time with him. She didn't get to see the fun, loving dad their dad once was not like he had. Their dad was once the best dad out there, nobody could compete or compare. Judith didn't know him really not like he had and it was a shame, a shame that she couldn't experience the things he had with their dad when he was her age.

Rick's laugh had quietened down but was still there and then he let out a deep content sigh, he hadn't laughed like that in such a long time that it actually tired him. He rubs his brow smiling at Judith, she was still giggling and gives her own little sigh clearly happy to see this rare reaction from her daddy and Carl can't help the small smile appear on his lips for a split second because as soon as it appeared, it disappeared.

Carl looks over at Beth who was smiling elated, flashing her teeth at his dad and sister with a glint in her eyes. He was confused of how to react, he feels like something had just shifted in that moment but doesn't know exactly what, he stands there stumped – happiness and sadness and something else he didn't know what troubled him.

He had to agree, with all that has happened, it was nice to hear his dad laugh, see him as he is, he hasn't done that since way before his mom died, a long time before that even and all of a sudden the sales assistant makes him burst into laughter even after he said the wrong thing to her. He remembers Shane had said something similar to a girl once and it earned him a tight slap round the face. His dad saying what he did was one of the most embarrassing moments for him to have witnessed and he was so glad nobody in the store knew them. He was sure his dad had forgotten how to speak and act in public especially with women, he preferred to keep to himself and had become socially and emotionally inept.

Carl reminisces back to a time his dad was a public figure, someone important in society, everyone looked up to, he was so proud when everyone said good things about his dad, Rick Grimes - he was on his way to become a legend who had a whole bunch of Officers who always followed him and his orders without question and now he goes around by himself unless he's with Shane but he prefers to ride alone. Everyone went to _Rick Grimes_ with their problems, the two off them were never able to walk down the street without someone rushing over for help or just to speak to him because they were pleased to see him. People now avoided him, they avoided them as a whole. If Shane, Jenny and Morgan didn't take it upon themselves coming around all the time, they'd be isolated with no contact with anyone unless they were at school or at work.

Carl just stares at his dad. He remembers when all his friends were in awe whenever his dad dropped him off at the school gates flashing the lights and the siren to inform them Carl Grimes had arrived and sometimes just for fun, his dad would announce it and it would boom loudly around the playground so everyone stopped and ran over to see the patrol car. That was the best and coolest feeling to have felt. He missed it when his dad got out and talked to his friends and fooled around with them, he was cool, everyone loved him and respected him. His dad knew everything about everything. He missed those talks they'd have and he missed him at his games running down cheering him and his friends on and then taking them for victory drinks or commissary shakes but more than anything, he missed that laugh and can't remember the last time he heard his dad laugh like that and looks down at the floor. He couldn't arouse a single smile from his dad in two years and this woman, he casts a look over at Beth, had him laughing and smiling within minutes of meeting and it wasn't just any laugh, it was _his deep hearty laugh_ and _she_ made him laugh like that.

"Daddy laugh!" Judith says grabbing Rick's face and making him stare at her.

"Yeah Daddy laughed!" Rick sighs and his eyes turn towards Beth gratefully she had forgiven him.

Beth returns the smiles, she was pleased she could get him to not only smile but laugh and he was still smiling. She wanted them to forget the earlier incident. She wanted him to forget it. She's already forgotten and he seems to have also and she can't stop smiling and staring, her jaw was hurting, she needed to seriously rub it.

Judith pulls at Rick's cheeks to look at her forcing him to break his connection with Beth. Judith pats his cheeks happily soothing his jaws and he was thankful, he closes his eyes relinquishing the feeling and relaxes.

"Dad!" Carl calls feeling like he was interrupting a moment between his dad, Judith and the woman.

Rick's turns to Carl standing there awkwardly and they look at one another and before Rick can speak, Carl speaks.

"Is it ok is _she_ helps me?" Carl asks curtly.

Rick's smile disappears instantly and Beth notices this and she sees the vein at the side of Rick's forehead tense and pop up.

 _Oh god! That don't look good!_ Beth worries wanting to rush over and push those veins back in and run over and cover Carl's mouth from saying anything more.

"Carl!" Rick scolds "Is that how you address someone asking for their help, _she_ has a name! Where are your manners?" Rick snaps loudly, people start to look over.

Carl just narrows his eyes at Rick wanting to ask him the same question and why was he so bothered, why did he care, he never cared to notice before and now all of a sudden.

" _Beth!_ please may you help me find an outfit! I'd be ever so grateful!" Carl asks Beth seeing her name tag with a huge smile and then turns to his dad, Carl's smile drops abruptly just a glare for him.

Rick shoots Carl a final warning glare back and they were at some sort of standoff at the centre of the shop floor.

 _Oh Crap! Holy Crap!_ Beth gulps looking from one to the other. She looks around hoping Carol doesn't walk in and ask them to leave, Carol doesn't take any shows in her stores, so she'd ask father and son to go and come back when they could behave or never come back at all.

"It's for my birthday party that my dad forgot all about, it's tomorrow and I don't have anything to wear!" Carl counters back without taking his eyes off his dad.

Gone was Rick's glare and was now replaced with a look of hurt and of failure.

As soon as it was all said, he couldn't take it back. Carl regrets his bite back, he didn't know why or where it came from but it had, a flash of regret passes over Carl's face and then he pushes it away.

Beth looks from father and son and sees the amount of tension between them and jumps in seeing the hurt on Rick's face and the regret on Carl's and before she knows it, she rushes in between them.

"Well that's why I'm here!" She says a little too high pitched.

She always played referee between Shawn and Maggie when she could. She could do it with these guys, right? She asks herself, they won't pounce and get each other into headlocks, she hopes.

"Not for my rock bottoms or my stone cold stunners!" She says in the most pathetic butch voice she could imitate with her girly voice and she knew she sounded pathetic grabbing hold of her crown slipping off her head.

Rick and Carl both turn their gazes towards Beth and she shrugs her shoulders with a smile, maybe it wasn't funny anymore, she feels like an idiot and if all fails, just smile and she smiles, anything to distract them from one another.

 _Look at me, hahahahe!_ She cringes to herself wanting to hide.

"I'd have paid big bucks to see it, maybe could'a stunned him back to the livin' from the rock bottom he's been at for god knows how long!" Carl mumbles and Beth catches it wondering why they were behaving as they were, she couldn't imagine being like this with her daddy or her daddy like this to her and she feels the urge to call her father and remind him, she loves him.

Beth turns to Carl and gives him a pleading look. She was better at persuading and pacifying children. She usually could read any guy that walked through the door and know how to keep them calm and stress-free, it was her job to keep her shoppers happy but she didn't know how to pacify a man like the Officer stood behind her, he was at times unreadable and unapproachable like right now, just a big ball of hot air, fire and frost. He looked like he was at boiling point a moment ago ready to chew his son's head off and now he looked deflated like a balloon, all the air has gone out of him. She didn't know what would happen next if she turned to him. She knew she could be sickly sweet, some men liked that and took comfort but some men didn't and she could send the Officer right off the edge if he was in the poll that couldn't take sweet.

Carl felt uncomfortable with the people watching and snickering as they walk past now. He knew he shouldn't have spoken the way he did to his dad and to the woman wanting to help him. He finally gives into Beth seeing her being caught up in the middle of their domestic issues, she looked like she just wanted to help.

"Beth, please will you help me pick out an outfit? Carl asks just above a whisper, eyes peering through his bangs.

Beth hears, cocks her head and nods with a smile clasping her hands together down in front of her and Carl's sighs with relief she would help and she wasn't pissed at him for being an immature jerk.

Beth looks over at Rick checking that he was ok with this, their eyes meet and Beth waits for Rick's reply holding his gaze.

"Dad?" Carl calls no longer with the sass he had before, his dad was taking his time in answering.

Rick regards Carl standing there looking miserable and probably feeling like he was. He no longer had that pissed off face he adopted, the one Lori wore so well.

"If that's what you want?" Rick says now the same low tone as Carl.

"It is." Carl answers hands in his pockets, head bowed looking down at the floor. He needed help, he needed a woman's opinion and had wished Jenny was here but Beth was younger and most likely knew more about fashion, what was in and what was out, he didn't have a clue anymore preferring to go around in darker clothes which helped him mould and hide into the background so he was not seen and pitied all the time.

Carl's defensive wall was now down, Rick sees this. His son was being sincere, he was asking for help and _Beth_ he had just learnt her name looked like she genuinely wanted to help and he turns his eyes towards her nodding once agreeing.

Beth lets out a sigh of relief when father and son finally agree so she decides to do her job before either get a chance to start anything. They were all standing in mutual harmony and she wasn't sure how long this would last. She gestured not to worry to Rick and he took her meaning and she motions Carl to follow her.

"Okay Carl, follow me, I can show you what I think you _may be_ interested in but can I give you some word of advice from one trendy person to another" Beth asks looking down at her outfit walking with Carl and he snorts looking at her dress and just shrugs waiting for her to continue.

"The emo look is soooo yesterday!" She says raising her brows nodding to his clothes.

"Elmo?" Judith whispers to herself.

"Hey, I like this!" Carl answer back abruptly pretending to be offended.

"Aha, how many girl's numbers are ya gettin' in those?" She asks tilting her head "And I can hardly see your eyes with that overgrown mop on your lollipop head!"

"Tons!" Carl answers now open mouthed at the open scrutiny of his look. He should be offended but with Beth, he's surprisingly not.

"Well, I suppose I'm not one to talk!" Beth snorts too looking down at her dress "but…in my defence just so you know…I don't dress like this every day, this is a one-off for the kids!" She says.

Carl turns his head towards Beth watching her. She was smiling and waving to a little girl coming down the slide waving back at her. Tara was running down the other end ready to catch the little girl but the girl had run back to climb up the ladder. Tara had bent down trying to see which way the little girl had gone and then the little boy wearing the pinstriped suit she had tricked into comes rushing down the slide, he knocks into Tara's Olaf ass and she goes flying landing in the pool of balls. The boy is giggling hysterically as Tara tries to climb out, hands and feet flapping up and down making balls fly everywhere. Both Beth and Carl laugh watching the snowman trying to get up.

"That's Tara, she's usually so much cooler than that!" Beth informs Carl and he smiles as Tara falls back into the pool of balls when the little girl lands on her.

"None!" Carl corrects when they approach the 12-16 year olds section and Beth looks at him.

"None what?" She asks.

"Girl's numbers!" He answers embarrassed "I have none!"

"Would you like a girl's number?" Beth asks gently.

Carl shakes his head.

But there was one girl he liked but was too chicken to approach her. She sat in front of him in most of his lessons, she was new in town and he found out her name was Mika Samuels. She was pretty, smart and so sweet, she always had a sweet braid in her hair and he liked it when it was braided in a French-braid down one side of her face whilst the rest of her hair flowed freely. Carl then shrugs and Beth smiles. She knew the feeling but she crushed on her teacher in English Literature, it was similar only she was crushing on an older man, she could relate regardless of the age in question.

"Well then, time to do some damage control!" Beth says placing her hand on his shoulder and Carl just rolls his eyes and gives the smallest of smiles but Beth sees it and she sees a slight blush appear on his face. She leads him to the rails of clothing that knew would suit him and hoped he would give the cool and comfy look at try.

Rick carries Judith following behind listening to their conversation. Carl's never spoken to him about girls and he wonders whether there was any girls he liked, a specific girl, a secret crush? He look over at Carl and is shocked, he remembers when he was twelve, he had a crush on a girl in his class who sat in front of him but never had the courage to tell her, he liked her and was terrified of speaking to her. It was once he had spoken to his dad, he gave him advice that he finally approached the girl and asked her if she wanted to share his cookie and she did. He wonders will Carl ever confide in him about girls, ask him for advice. He begins to realise, in a few years' time, Carl is going to start dating and he begins to sweat at the thought and the talk that he'd have to give, the talk his dad gave him when he got his first girlfriend in High School. Would Carl ever ask him about what happens between a man and woman when they're attracted to one another? God the sex talk and the fasten up the condom rule when the time came! Rick closes his eyes shaking his head.

"Who's he gonna speak to about stuff like that!" Rick whispers to himself in shock now staring up ahead in a daze not sure he could give that talk, wondering if the schools would, knowing it should come from a parent, like it had come to him from his dad.

"Elsaaa!" Judith erupts pointing to Beth's head and Rick's turns to Judith.

Rick stares at Judith, brow raised.

"And who do I talk to with the stuff and thangs on my mind?" He asks Judith and again she points to Beth's head "Elsaa!" she repeats answering.

Rick takes a look over to Beth and looks back at Judith not wanting to burst her little bubble knowing he needed to. After today, they'd never see this _Elsa_ again.

"Sweetheart, she's the shop assistant and she's not actually," Rick stops mid-sentence when he bumps head-on like a train into Beth when she stopped to turn around and they both collide straight into the footwear display.

Rick catches Beth in his arms before she stumbled over. A movement above, catches Rick's eyes. A heavy looking trainer was slipping off its shelf above Beth's head. His hand flies up, grabs the trainer and shoves it back onto its stand. He was leaning over Beth sheltering her body with his own as the other shoes stumbles around them, a few bouncing off Rick's back and shoulder as they fell to the ground. Beth had grabbed a hold of the front of Rick's shirt and her other hand grabbed a tight hold of his belt closing her eyes.

"Miss, are you okay?" Rick asks moving his head slightly so he could see her face.

Beth opens her eyes to see Rick's face centimetres above hers and she just nods and whispers "Are you?"

"Daddy not see where he's goin'!" Judith tells Beth before Rick could answer.

Both Rick and Beth look down to see Judith sheltered between them, she had ducked and hid her face into Rick's chest and then her head springs up.

"Daddy has stuff and thangs in his head!" Judith caresses at Rick's head and looks to Beth.

Rick just stares at Judith not believing how extremely talkative she was being today and that to a stranger. His eyes shift up to Beth whose smiling at Judith, neither not knowing what to say. Judith wiggles wanting to be put down and Rick sets her free and then realises his hand was on Beth's lower back and Beth hadn't yet let go of his belt buckle.

"Erm," Rick says looking down at her hand and then back up at her face and he sees the material slip down Beth's shoulders again.

"I can fix your problem!" Rick says and Beth follows his gaze at her naked shoulder and blushes "May I?" He asks and Beth nods staring up at him in a daze.

Rick reaches over and fastens up the hooks hidden at the sides and the material is now fastened in place. He remembered Judith's dress had the same problem.

Carl comes rushing over to see where everyone had disappeared to.

"What are y'all doin'?" He asks looking at the mess and his dad and Beth in the centre of it all, Judith waves from her sitting position where she had begun to gather up the shoes.

"There was just a little mishap but everything is ok, what do you think about the shirts I showed you?" Beth asks letting go of Rick, slipping away and picking up the shoes and placing them back up at super speed saying thank you to Judith as she hands them up. Her heart was beating rapidly from the feeling of Rick's fingers brushing her skin whilst he assisted her with her dress issue.

Carl looks over at his dad staring down at the ground for no reason, deep in concentration, in thought.

"Yeah, I was goin' to ask if you had any in black." Carl asks continuing to watch his dad.

"No black, we're steering you away from black, this is your birthday party, you can't be wearing black!" Beth says getting up and pushing Carl out and back to the shirts she had asked him to look at.

"Daddy!" Judith calls tugging at Rick's trouser leg.

Rick's head snaps up realising why he was there as Judith grabs hold of his hand and pulls him to follow Beth and Carl.

* * *

For the next fifteen minutes, Rick follows Beth and Carl around the aisles and racks of clothing. Rick was glad he listened to Jenny and made the drive up, he knew nothing about clothes and Beth seemed to know what she was doing and talking about, it was all mumbo jumbo to him about what was in and what was not for kids. She was taking the time helping Carl which seemed to please Carl. They were deliberating on a few items, Carl was asking Beth her opinion and she'd give her honest opinion and Carl to his surprise was taking it, no tuts, no sarcastic eye rolls and no storming off. Rick was astonished hovering in the background feeling like a spare part but glad they were making progress now with a pile of clothes put to one side.

He's never spent this much time in a clothing store. He was a quick search, grab and dash guy. He leans by the rail of clothing tired watching Judith and she runs past him, still a little wobbly at times, she trips. Rick's heart jumps in this throat and he jumps to help Judith but she's up and rushing not to him to rub her booboo but to Beth. He watches Beth crouch down and pick Judith up, placing her on her hip rubbing her little hand and knee. Judith remembers she had something in her hand and shows it to Beth.

"Wow, that's really funky but I don't think your brother's brave enough for that not yet anyway!" Beth grins looking at a bright pink shirt "It takes a certain confident person to pull off that shade of pink and I've only just convinced your brother to wear blues and greens!" Beth giggles.

"Elmo!" Judith points to a t-shirt "Car watches Sesame street!" She reveals moving her finger in Carl's direction.

"Hey!" Carl jumps to cover Judith's mouth looking around him to make sure nobody heard.

Rick glances over and smirks, Carl's secret was out. He always watched the reruns with Judith in the mornings and Rick was sure he secretly still loved to watch that show after all these years. Rick was glad Judith didn't reveal he too watched with her when Carl was at school.

"Oh my god, ya don't do ya?" Beth nudges and sees Carl scrunches up nose staring at Judith shaking his head "You do!" Beth giggles.

"He does, he watches with me!" Judith tells Beth.

"Ya such a tattletale!" Carl leans towards Judith with a smile.

"It's truth, I tell!" Judith sighs nodding.

"Judy!" Carl laughs now covering his eyes in embarrassment.

"Daddy, it's true!" Judith asks spotting Rick watching at the side.

They all turn to see Rick's smirk on his face and he removes it. He was enjoying the peace, he didn't need to upset Carl, he just shrugs looking down at his phone.

"I'll tell ya both a secret," Beth looks around and they all huddle close "I watch it too!" She reveals and they burst out laughing "For research!" She clarifies gesturing towards the children's department.

Rick smiles looking at his phone, he thought she did. Beth catches Rick grin.

"Becausssse!" She stops them from laughing "I have a niece whose three years old and we grown-ups!" She looks over at Rick and then back to Carl "Have to! Don't we!" She playfully pushes Carl and he nods trying not to fall over.

"You do?" Judith asks.

"Yep! Now why don't you go and try these on and decide which ones you like!" Beth tells Carl standing up and taking hold of Carl's clothes.

"Daddy watches too!" Judith adds.

Rick's grin disappeared, she ratted him out too. Carl hides his laugh and so does Beth.

"I can take these!" Carl insists taking the clothing out of Beth's arms to run away so he could laugh seeing his dad flushed with embarrassment.

"A gentleman!" Beth says to Judith following Carl to the changing rooms.

* * *

Rick sits in the waiting area with Judith on his lap on the funky bean bags that Judith wanted to sit on and not the comfortable couch which he wanted to sit on. He had to sacrifice the comfy couch for the Scoobydoo beanbag Judith had decided he would sit on and she would sit on his lap.

Beth helps a woman and her daughter in the next cubicle rushing in and out with a different coloured dress smiling at both Judith and Rick as she passes to see him sitting down on the beanbag, long legs stretched and then tucking them bent back when someone wants to get past him. He looked out of place but he looked a picture and the women walking in and out seemed to be walking in with their children on purpose to take a look at him. Beth had to agree, he was extremely good looking. Grouchy but still a looker.

"It's busy in here!" Rick says watching the herd of women dragging their kids in "Maybe we should wait outside Judy?" Rick says aloud grabbing a hold of Judith to get up.

Beth stands there outside Carl's curtain _If only you knew, you were the reason!_ She smirks knowing sneaking a glance over at the gushing women and then lastly at Rick and turns away.

"No! No! No Officer! You stay right there, don't you be worryin' about little us, there's plenty a space!" One mother says to Rick taking a seat beside him and smiling at Judith and Judith smiles back.

Rick faces towards Beth who was talking to Carl behind the curtain.

"So dad, what d'ya think?" Beth asks as she pulls open the curtain "Tada!"

Rick and Judith both look up and over into Carl's changing room.

Carl steps out in a nice pair of comfy not too tight stylish dark blue Jeans, a white T-shirt and a cool blue shirt on top with the buttons undone and his sleeves rolled up just like Rick wears and a pair of bold adidas blue and white high tops.

"Wow!" Rick says seeing Carl in the outfit and not the clothes he's been going around in completely stunned "Are you happy and comfortable in this?" He asks Carl standing up to take a closer inspection, he actually liked this look but wanted to make sure Carl was comfortable, he hasn't dressed this nicely since, since he can remember.

Carl shrugs and Rick can see Carl's ear to ear grin when he looks over at Beth. Judith claps her hands and gives a little Owwww making Carl blush a deeper pink than he already was. Rick stands beside Carl and without realising what he's doing, wipes Carl's hair out of his face and he can actually see his Carl, he just stares at Carl warmly.

"Dad!" Carl moans stepping back sorting his hair out and then looks back at his dad and he sees a smile on his dad's face.

Rick looked a bit emotional and Carl just took this moment, letting go of his frustrations of the past days finally seeing the softer side of his dad who was paying attention to him and not work but him.

"Well I say you've found your outfit!" Rick announces seeing Carl's little smile which told him he had chosen his outfit.

Rick turns his smile towards Beth as she holds the curtain. He regards her standing back happy and satisfied. And what happens next shocks Rick. Carl's show of appreciation, there wasn't the "can't be bothered" attitude, just a well-mannered young man he knew he raised.

"Thank you Beth! Thanks for helping me, I really appreciate your time and it was…educational!" Carl gives a little laugh "Thank you!" He genuinely beams.

Carl turns around back into the changing room to get dressed and Judith follows wanting to help standing outside the curtain just like Beth had.

Rick walks up to stand beside Beth.

"Thank you for today and thank you for making this easier," Rick hesitates trying to find the right words "and I want to say sorry for before, it was the slip of the tongue and I hope we can forget it." Rick asks.

"Forget what?" Beth asks confused looking up at him.

For a moment Rick thinks she's forgotten but Beth smiles and Rick takes her meaning and he smiles back.

* * *

Beth bags up the newly purchased clothes and hands them over to Rick together his receipt and credit card. Just as Rick shoves his card and receipt into his wallet, his phone buzzes. He grabs it and sees the number he called last night.

"Oh take it, it could be important!" Beth tells him.

He smiles gratefully and steps away. Carl and Judith were by the toys and Beth smiles watching them, glad to see Carl smiling, a huge contrast from before.

Beth hears Rick's sudden raised voice and turns around and catches the end of the conversation. He hangs up and hangs his head scrubbing his face with his hand taking a heavy puff. He turns around and sees Beth watching him and his troubled face turns into a deep frown. Beth caught out, looks away and he walks over to the counter grabbing his bag.

"Thank you for your help today, I really appreciate it!" Rick says sharply, nods and leaves.

Beth stands there stung at his sudden change in mood. He had chilled out and now he was back to his moody self again. Beth tries to call out to him but he didn't look like he was going to stop or wanted to stop. His long legs were marching out of there as fast as they could.

Beth watches him as Rick calls over to Carl and indicating they were leaving. Carl waves and so does Judith sad that she couldn't come over to say bye.

"They're probably the toughest customers we've had so far!" Tara says watching Rick thundering off with Carl trying to catch up with Judith in his arms "Geez, you did good, look at that man go, glad I didn't have to deal with him, sorry for pushing him on to you!" Tara squeezes her shoulder "You won't have to see or deal with him again!" She blows out with relief going back to work.

Beth watches Rick, he was in a deep panic. From what she made out, the venue had been double booked and they had to cancel on him last minute, he didn't call back to confirm he definitely wanted to book the hall.

Beth slumps down into the chair and leans on her elbows rubbing her brow not sure why she was so bothered by this guy and his attitude and his kids, she deals with all types of families all the time. She leans her head and rests it against the wall and then she sits up looking at the notice board that they allow people to post advertisements for their businesses. She grabs the phone and calls the customer who left it.

"Hi, is that Jim?" She asks remembering the nice man coming in to shop for his brood.

Rick walks towards the escalators holding Judith in his arm panicked of what he was going to do, there were twenty kids coming to Carl's birthday party and there was now no venue. What was he going to do he worries, the party is tomorrow!

 _Fuck!_ He swears to himself.

"This is a customer announcement, please can Rick Grimes make his way back to Peletier's Children's Department Store, I repeat Rick Grimes make his way back to Peletier's Children's Department Store!" The Mall's announcement announces.

Rick looks up and then looks at Carl standing behind him on the escalator step.

"Did you leave anything behind?" Rick asks and Carl shakes his head.

Once they reach the bottom of the escalators, they turn around and go back up and make their way back to the Peletier's. Beth jumps from the counter upon seeing them and rushes over to Rick. He was confused and slows down his paces and hands Judith back to Carl telling them to wait there.

"Can I speak to you in private?" Beth asks looking up at him, hopefully he'd listen to her and not get mad, she hoped.

Rick looks at Beth and follows her so they're out of hearing range of Carl.

"I'm sorry but I couldn't help but overhear your phone call and I think I might have a solution to your problem!" Beth says before he can yell at her for eavesdropping on his phone call.

Rick doesn't say anything and just waits for her to speak.

"One of our customers, he's a great guy, he runs Laser Zone about a couple of blocks from here, it laser tag games and there are a dozen different types of games for kids from the ages 6 and above, even adults! He has a couple of slots free and they even have a party room for birthday cake and for the kids to just have fun and goof around in!" Beth says explaining. "You just need to call this number and tell him who you are and he will guarantee you a spot, they even have a crèche there for kids called Laser Play just a little playing area for little kids to play, they have qualified helpers and you can even go in and play along or have someone you want in there with Judith and I think Carl may enjoy it!" Beth take a breather and waits for Rick to speak and give his verdict.

Rick just stares at her and when he doesn't reply, she lifts up the leaflet and hands it over to him.

"It's just a suggestion!" Beth says and feeling like she has interfered enough already, thrusts the leaflet it into his hands and rushes off into the stock room. His eyes were boring into her but he was saying nothing and she didn't want to stick around for him to erupt, it was a suggestion, he could take it or leave it.

Rick stands there watching Beth disappear behind the doors and then looks down at the leaflet with Beth's hand written details and her name as his recommendation to receive a 30% discount. He realised how rude he must have appeared, he was just speechless for this save and her help. He wants to go back and thank her but Tara stops him from going back into the stock room having watched him, thinking this man was really ungrateful. She felt sorry for him earlier on but seeing Beth run off upset, she wanted to ram into him and send him tumbling into the pool of balls.

"Sorry sir, only staff are allowed back there!" Tara blocks Rick in her snowman suit "And we don't take kindly to dad's with a chip on their shoulders, so have a nice day…good bye!" She beams and standing there holding her round hips.

Rick nods and steps back leaving looking at the leaflet taking the hint. Taking one last look at the doors to the stock room, he leaves.

"Is everything okay?" Carl asks narrowing his eyes watching his dad.

"Yeah, we need to get home and I need to make a few phone calls!"

Rick picks up speed knowing if he got the venue, he'll have to call all the parents and tell them the new venue details and if nobody can get there, he'll have to arrange to pick them up and take them there and he hopes Dale still had his minivan, it could seat sixteen people and then he had his car and Shane and Morgan if need be.

He just wished he could have said thank you to Beth and not left it like that. He was never good at taking help from people and she really helped him. He prayed he'd one day get the opportunity to tell her if she would give him the time of day. He really appreciated her help today, she practically saved his relationship with his son from getting worse than it already had.

 **To be continued...**


	4. Chapter 4

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** Thank you to those reading and thank you to bumblebeatrice, malzateb, Guest, Guest, WalkerHarley, brinxb, Guest, alliesmiley2 and layvba for commenting on the last chapter.

 **DISCLAIMER:** I do not own the Walking Dead or its characters

Apologies in advance for any spelling and grammatical errors. _Thoughts in Italics_

* * *

 **Two Broken Hearts to Beat As One**

 **Chapter 4**

* * *

Dale concentrating on the road ahead looks up into his rear-view mirror to see a sea of smiling, singing and laughing children with colourful wigs and party hats attached to their heads. His face spreads into a huge smile and a chuckle escapes his lips when he glances over at Carl, his late sister's grandson looking to be having the time of his life with Shane sitting beside him in the middle of the long bench at the back of his mini-bus. Carl had on a blue wig and Shane a green, they both had party hats, funky big Elton John glasses, big feather boas around their necks and party whistle noisemakers sticking out of their mouths waving their arms up in the air like they just didn't care.

Shane declared he was the host of the _Party Bus_ and pulled out the trashy party accessories which the kids seemed to jump at and it didn't take them more than a few seconds to pull them on and laugh when they took a look at one another. They all looked ridiculously stupid but didn't care, they were having too much fun to think about their image or the pictures that would most definitely be uploaded onto the social media websites first thing tomorrow morning.

Shane had taken it upon himself to take lead vocals - very out of tune vocals making the twelve year old's laugh hysterically. None of the kids apart from Carl knew, Shane was actually quite the good singer and not forgetting a hot dancer but loved to play it down pretending to be _that uncle_ who sings and dances awfully at parties because he just loves and cannot resist embarrassing his godson.

"Strike a pose!" Shane yells over the music and all the kids strike and he clicks the party camera and gives them all a "Wohooooooo! - look at ya'll pose!" He sings boogying in his seat.

Morgan in the corner in his afro weave (purchased specially for him by Shane) sits there holding the camcorder closing his eyes pretending he wasn't back there in the eye of the madness. Taking a sneaky look to see what Shane was doing next - he cringes when the biggest dork he's ever met starts a Mexican Wave and then The Robot hand manoeuvres come out.

"Dear Lord, save his poor child from embarrassment when he or she comes into this world and Lord, Andrea, poor dear Andrea!" Morgan prays thinking the Defence Attorney didn't know what she was letting herself in for and was one brave lady to be settling down with Shane Walsh of all people in the world. They were polar opposites and it baffled him why such a smart, high flying, successful woman would want to be stuck with Shane for life!

Morgan turns towards Duane to make a joke at Shane's expense and is caught mid-sentence startled to see Duane had joined in with the buffoon - roboting, moving and stopping, moving and then freezing in position pulling a silly animated face. He thrusts his weave up to take a better look and his jaw just dropped. Wave of memories come flashing to his mind when he tried to do such dances and Duane would always nearly have a tantrum and begged him to stop before people saw and knew they were related.

 _This is unbelievable_ Morgan huffs to himself and shoots Shane a look - jealous that Shane was always and could pull off being Mr Cool. He lets out a resigned sigh seeing how happy Carl is and couldn't deny that Shane and his boisterous ways was what Carl needed right now so he pushes his green-eyed monster aside and continues recording, the boring job given to him by his darling wife Jenny following behind in the People Carrier with a heavily pregnant Andrea, Judith and a few other little children to keep company at Play Zone. The day had been a success all round.

Shane pulls Carl into a side-hug and kisses the side of his head and surprisingly, Carl doesn't push away like he usually would have done, he just pulls a face wiping off the man kiss but laughs when Shane tries to do it again. Carl dodges the kiss as he blows his whistle straight into Shane's face.

"Why you little," Shane laughs and blows his whistle back into Carl's face.

Carl could be heard giggling and at one point, like a girl but he didn't care, he was too much on a high, it's his birthday and he couldn't believe what a day he's had or is having. It was 6pm and they were still partying in Dale's mini-bus converted into a party-bus down Highway 85 leading out of Atlanta and there was a humungous disco ball twirling from the ceiling of the bus and his Uncle Morgan was sitting there with an afro weave on his head without complaining or telling them to turn down the music when Shane amps the volume up another notch - none of this happens in normal life, he didn't want today to end.

Carl pinches himself just to be sure and then swings his head forward looking over towards the front to see the back of his dad's head sitting in the passenger's seat looking out the window lost in the distant horizon and he swears he can see a small smile appear on his dad's face every time they try and hit the high notes but mess it up. His dad is running his fingers over his lips to hide his laugh but Carl can see his dad's dimples, the dimples that show he was enjoying the rowdy company and the entertainment. Usually by now, he would have stopped the bus and yelled for them to keep it down but no such thing had happened and Carl didn't see it was going to happen the closer they reach home.

He just couldn't believe any of this, it felt like he was dreaming but he pinched himself which confirmed he was definitely one hundred percent awake. He's wearing a blue wig, a feather boa and ridiculously large glasses in his new outfit which embarrassingly has sweat patches under his pits and on his back which was evidence of how active he's been for the past six hours straight. The material of his shirt was soft and loose, he felt cool and comfortable. He couldn't believe how right Beth had been. He felt laidback and relaxed and all his friends complimented and said how much they loved his new look and wanted to know where he got his new clothes from. They were asking _him_ for fashion advice – him, Carl Grimes?!

Carl sits there swaying his hands in the air lost in his thoughts, his smile disappears slowly.

His dad had arranged all of this for him when all he's ever been for the past two years was mean, rude and obstructive. He had said and done so many hurtful things it had become second nature, a nature he never knew he held within him. He didn't inherit this from his dad – yes his dad is angry with the world and sad at the loss of his love but he never went out purposely trying to hurt someone to lessen his own, he would rather just hurt himself and allow himself to wallow and be hurt.

Carl remembers they always cried watching Brother Bear and The Lion King. His dad always pretending he had something in his eyes and couldn't explain the knot in his throat when he tried speaking. Watching The Lion King, he remembers holding onto his dad for dear life to feel his strong arms holding him, to feel him close and his dad would tell him, it's a cartoon telling the story of the circle of life. Animals and also people die, naturally and sometimes unnaturally but everyone dies one day, nobody can live forever but they should live it well whilst they were alive. They always had to skip the part when Mufasa died. That was a fear he had every time his dad left the house to go to work, that somebody would try and kill him or he would get injured in the line of duty. He never wants Judith to watch that movie, to watch any movie where a parent or anyone dies, he needed to protect her from that because it hurts like hell. It breaks his heart that she never got to know their mom, know what a mom is, she never will and he never wants her to think about losing their dad, he's had nightmares and doesn't want his sister to have them too.

Carl feels ashamed how much his dad always tried and how much he didn't care that he tried, it was a knock to his dad's soul when he would throw it back in his face that it was a little too late and the dad he once used to be, _that dad_ had gone and left _him_ in his place. He feels shame coursing through his veins thinking about the many times when he said that and the times he gave his dad looks that could be misinterpreted for hate and loathing not forgetting the look of hurt flash through his dad's eyes, too hurt to reprimand him and just would leave him be and walk away. He thought horrible things about his dad and sometimes it made him so sad it ended up manifesting into anger and resentment, he sometimes couldn't handle those feelings and would lash out or just give the silent treatment. He'd always stick in his earphones and burying his head into books and comics to ignore his dad, to avoid a confrontation when his dad wanted to spend five minutes together because a lot of the times that was all his dad had - for him anyway he always thought. He had so much going on at work, having to work his way back to his senior position, the mounting bills on top of computer desk, the house chores, Judy going through the terrible two's, the clothes, the food, the party and then there was Laser Zone of all places - it was simply the best and he's been the worst son in the world, he didn't deserve this type of party, he didn't deserve a party period!

Carl looks around the bus watching his friends laughing and dancing. He'll never forget the facial expressions of his class friends when they turned into the parking lot to see the impressive warehouse building with a massive model of a soldier holding a laser gun by the entrance. Everyone's faces were pressed up against the window looking up in disbelief and he had to do a double take his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

He had pulled out his earphones from his ears looking to his side and flew over and pressed his face up against the window alongside them all asking Duane, were they where he thought they were and Duane just squealed yes repeatedly punching the air saying Uncle Rick was the coolest for organising this and not a boring kid's party at the community hall like his dad did. Everyone had shuffled off the bus and sprinted towards the doors with Morgan calling them back to line up in an orderly fashion and walk but once they got in, they were introduced to their guide player, Comrade Zach Walsh - Shane's younger cousin and all hell broke loose of double trouble Walsh fun. Morgan gave up and let Shane and now his even crazy cousin just get on with it. Zach would always pop up now and again in their lives and this was no different, only he had moved to Atlanta to Shane's surprise to not have received the family memo informing him so. Zach was working at Laser Zone part time whilst he finished off his degree.

They played the six games, all hot and sweaty. Ate hot-dogs, burgers, fries, birthday cake, ice-cream, drank fizzy drinks and danced in the party room just goofing around. Jim the owner stopped by wishing Carl a happy birthday and turned to his dad and threw in another two complimentary games for being a friend of a friend. Carl had wondered who the friend of his dad's was to be given this preferential treatment.

All the adults were invited to join in and they played the two free games, even his dad played which was a shock. Carl had nearly choked on his cream soda when he saw his dad being forced into a vest by Shane and laser gun thrust into his hand by Zach.

Carl had to admit, his dad looked like a total badass trooper and the scruff on his face made him look battle ready and belonged at the forefront of the action with everyone saluting him for instructions making his dad laugh telling his team to follow him if they wanted to win. Team Grimes cheered running behind their leader and when they were all in a huddle, Carl watched his dad being surrounded by his friends talking strategies of how to take down Shane and his team. His dad turned to him with that grin that said, they were going to wreak havoc and bring Shane down to his knees bumping their fists.

It reminded Carl of the old days when they used to hang out and have fun, those were the best days.

 _Dad does care!_ Carl tells himself.

When Carl looks up at the back of the mini-bus, he catches Rick's eyes watching him in his mirror and gives that massive grin that he gives when he is truly happy and then proceeds to look out the window taking a content breath.

Carl feels like he can let himself go and just go with the flow. He didn't need to worry or think. He can just have fun and just be him, he hasn't felt like him since before his mom died. He knew his mom would be happy to know he was enjoying today. She always made sure he had a great birthday and she'd be over the moon to know that his dad got this birthday right because it was perfect, he made today feel like it was a birthday party that his mom would have organised for him and she would have really enjoyed today and joined in. Her and Jenny would have teamed up and gone _girl power_ on them all and that always made his dad laugh because Lori Grimes was a terrible terrible shot.

Carl laughs remembering the time they practised shooting tin cans back at Dale's ranch and she missed every shot so when his dad piled a wide pyramid of cans saying she can't miss, she chased his dad round the fields with a stick for teasing her. He was missing his mom and he could see his dad missed her too especially when it came to bringing out the cake and singing happy birthday. She always did that but Jenny did the honours and whispered into his ear to make a wish before blowing out the candles and he made a wish - more for his dad than for himself because from the corners of his eyes, he saw his dad' eyes moisten when it came to cutting the cake because the three of them always cut the cake together and shared a slice.

"Hey bud, we've got another ten minutes on the party-bus so stop that deep thinking and let's make the best out of it!" Shane orders and they make the best of the last ten minutes as they drive past the Welcome to King County sign.

Carl decides there and then, he was going to make the first move and try and make things up with his dad, he didn't want to be that distant any more. He wanted his dad back and he hoped he can speak to the one person who he's had the most intimate conversation with since before his mom died for advice. He just didn't know how he would get in touch with her but he knew his dad had the receipt in his wallet, there would be a phone number or he could go and see her but how he wonders, he was twelve and has never travelled anywhere alone.

With a nudge from Shane, Carl comes out of his thoughts and joins Shane singing. He'll have to think about how to get in contact with Beth from the clothing department store.

Shane was on top form and he was getting into practice for his little one on the way. He was always in practice if anyone actually took a moment to observe, they'd see how much he dotted on Carl and Judith. Taking on the responsibilities of godfather and being an uncle was a huge deal and important role to Shane and he had put his family first before any woman which had been a first so when Rick broke down and shut himself off from the world, Shane had stepped up and became that male figure Carl required and needed and Carl turned to Shane many times when his dad was too broken to get out of bed and only had enough strength to tend to Judith when she needed feeding or changing in the initial months after Lori died. Shane became more involved when Rick withdrew into himself, stopped going to Carl's practice games and the general outings that fathers and sons usually do so Shane had filled in the temporary void up until now and he knew one day, he'd have to step aside because Rick was slowly getting better. It was a bitter-sweet feeling but Shane wanted nothing more than for Rick to come back from wherever his mind had gone and salvage his relationship with his children. He knew Rick was a great dad but circumstances left him distraught in an emotional turmoil, nobody could judge because you had to go through what Rick did to understand and Shane wasn't going to let anyone give their opinions and get in the way of Rick recovering, reuniting and bonding with his children.

But on a separate note, Shane was on top of the world right now, life finally gave him a future of his own to look forward to. He and Andrea were expecting their first child in a couple of months and he couldn't wait. He wants Carl and Judith to be a big part of baby's life, he adored the two of them and if anything was to ever happen to Rick, he promised he would raise them both as his own alongside his rugrats.

Shane takes a moment to look at Carl. This is the happiest he's seen the little man in a long time and it was really good to see. It gave him relief to see the wall Carl had put up slowly coming down. Today was a good day, a step forward to the future. The fact that Carl wasn't ignoring Rick and giving attitude like he would do was reassuring and giving Rick confidence and hope that they could work things out and try and get back to a place where they once were. Communicating and talking things through like they used to. Communicating had become difficult and Rick was trying and Carl was too. The heavy tension didn't seem so heavy today, things could one day go back to how they once were and Rick and Carl could reconnect and get their relationship back to what it once was which makes him happy.

Shane looks around at all the kids. He's always wanted to become a father and watching all the people his age finally settling down, he wanted that too. He wanted a family of his own to take care of and come home to. He had always been envious of Rick and Lori of what they made together. He didn't think it was going to ever happen to him. He had become too busy with work and helping Rick with the kids. Shane couldn't remember the last time he went out on a date with a woman until he ran into Defence Attorney Andrea Harrison that hot summer's day nine months ago when her car broke down at the roadside. She needed to get to Court on time for her case and he was on his way to Court to give evidence on the stand. The case had been a success for them both and they went out for a celebratory drink. When Shane dropped Andrea home, he walked her to her door. A thank you hand shake led to a kiss on the cheek and then on the lips and one thing led to another, they felt the instant attraction and he didn't leave her house until the following morning. Three months later of meeting, people had said it was hasty but he brought Andrea a diamond ring and the night he proposed to her, she revealed she carried out six pregnancy tests and was most definitely pregnant and was going to keep the baby. Andrea had expected him to throw up or run out the restaurant but he did exactly the opposite, he jumped to his feet and lifted her into the air, twirling her around saying he wanted the baby and he very much wanted her too! He wanted them to be a family and Andrea had said yes seeing how much Shane wanted this, they could give it ago together.

Shane turns and stares out the back window to see Andrea sitting happily in the passenger's seat with her feet up on the dashboard of the People Carrier eating a large slice of birthday cake whilst talking to Jenny. He can't help the massive grin spread across his face. Andrea had slipped right into their group, she had become a part of their family. His musing is interrupted when he sees Andrea drop her feet off the dashboard out of sight, clutch her stomach frowning with a moan. He jumps in his seat onto his knees trying to breathe as he smacks on the window to get her attention and then he sees her mouth vibrate and then she covers it embarrassed leaning back into her seat and continues to eat her cake.

"Ewwwww, Andrea just let out one nasty burp!" Duane says leaning up on elbows and looking out the back window.

"Woman eats like a dump truck, she's bound to get trapped wind!" Shane says laughing.

Shane turns around to see Andrea tapping on her vehicle's windscreen crossly.

"What babe?" Shane asks shrugging, she looked cute when she was cross.

Andrea is mouthing something.

"Can't hear ya?" Shane responds holding his ear.

"She says - turn around, buckle up and stop gawking you jackass because of you, she needs to make another bathroom stop!" Carl squints reading Andrea's lips move.

Shane scoffs "Somebody forgot to take a pill more than once!" He sings shaking his head.

"Look, she's tapping on the windscreen again!" Duane tugs on Shane's shirt "What she sayin' mow? Whatever it is, she looks real mad!"

"She says – I heard that you pig!," Carl repeats and his eyes go wide in surprise and turns to Shane shaking his head "I can't repeat the rest because there are girls on board!"

"It's the hormones!" Shane turns to the boys explaining "They say women get like this round about this time of pregnancy and the baby is pressing down on her bladder so she needs to pee every five minutes but I gotta say, she pees like Niagara Falls!" Shane informs them and the kids all giggle.

"Look!" Duane points back out the window "Mom's tryin' to stop Andrea from opening the door!"

"She says – I'm gonna pee on his face the next time he wants and tries to get my special juice!" Carl repeats and they all turn their heads to Shane waiting for his explanation.

"This should be good!" Morgan scoffs sitting back wanting to hear Shane's explanation, still recording.

Shane waves them into a huddle to explain a few things about men and women and what they like to do in privacy but before he could explain - _going down on a woman -_ they hear yelling and when they look up, they see Andrea holding a fork up and stabbing at the window with Jenny trying to stop her.

"Aunt Jenny says – Shut the bleep up Shane! Kid's turn around before I go kickass on y'all!" Carl repeats and they all jump back around in their seats, nobody disobeyed Vice Principle Jenny Jones.

"That's my girl!" Morgan smirks cosily in his corner.

"Geez the hormones!" Shane scoffs clapping his hands going back to partying.

Rick was sitting back in his seat looking out the window enjoying the views of the fields and greenery rushing past as they make their way home after the longest children's birthday party he's ever been to which was still in full swing behind him, the boom box blaring out from the back of the bus with everyone singing and clapping. He closes his eyes taking in the moment, relishing the sounds of Carl's laughter and singing. He hasn't heard Carl this happy since before when laugher came naturally and without reason.

Carl had been oblivious to what was happening expecting to turn up at the community hall where everyone normally held birthday parties but he looked confused when they drove right past the building and then out of King County. It was a vision and amusing seeing Carl's confused face looking back when they got onto the highway and sometime later when they turned into the parking-lot in Atlanta. Rick will always remember the look of - surprised shock spread across his Carl's face as he jumped and joined his friends at the window. He couldn't help but feel elated, Carl looked utterly and completely blown away at where his birthday party was being held. Rick had sat in his seat for a minute or two collecting his thoughts and when composed and ready, he had jumped out the mini-bus and was leading the troop of excited twelve year old's into the building for hours of infinite fun until closing time. He couldn't deny, he had butterflies fluttering around in his stomach earlier on waiting to see Carl's reaction. He knew Carl always wanted to do this but they'd never managed to get around to it.

"Seems like it turned out to be a good day!" Dale interrupts Rick's thoughts sitting beside him.

With the music in the background, the out of tune singing, the sun going down in the horizon with the wind in his face, Rick turns his head and meets Dale's smiling eyes.

"It turned out better that I had ever imagined it to turn out, Carl enjoyed himself, really enjoyed himself!" Rick confirms matter of fact and Dale grins in agreement.

"She was right!" Rick states above a whisper, dazed and staring down at the leaflet in his lap with Beth's hand written note and her name in sparkly gel pink ink.

A ghost of a smile appears around Rick's lips as he thinks about how she went out of her way to get security to call out for him on the loudspeaker tannoy system and when he made it back to the store looking confused, she looked relived to see him and rushed to him because she had something really important to tell him and show him. When they met halfway, she looked up at him with those big round blue eyes that when he first looked into them, he imagined jumping into them and getting lost but then he kept staring at her in a way that was probably beyond creep and rude which made her run away from him. Rick knew, he needed to fix that, he needed to thank her for her suggestion and getting him the last booking for the day.

"Who was right?" Dale asks turning into Rick's street and they can see crowds of parents waiting to collect their children.

Who was she? He didn't know but he knew she went to the trouble to help him with Carl and then the venue, she went beyond helping, she practically saved him and his relationship with Carl. Their relationship has been hanging by a thin thread and if the party had to have been cancelled or be held at home, Carl would never have forgiven him for the ultimate humiliation of his father forgetting his birthday and then there was being let down like he had been for the past two years his mother was gone. Beth offered her help out of the kindness of her heart, she didn't know him, owe him anything but she still helped him even when he behaved the way he did. He felt awful wished he could go back in time and tell her how much he was grateful, how kind, considerate, sweet she is and how she made the whole process of shopping for Carl bearable and because of her, Carl was laughing like he used to.

Rick hesitates with a slight frown remembering how he just stared at Beth. He just stated at her like a retard! Everything had happened fast, they were on a low, then a high and then a low again, there was so much to take in, in a short amount of time. Rick takes a heavy breathe looking around finally coming to the realisation of how disconnected he'd become from society, friends and family. People avoided him because of the disconnection and a beautiful woman without any motive, went out of her way to help him and he returned the thanks by just staring and then snapping when he was let down by somebody else.

Rick looks back into the rear-view mirror glancing over at Carl seeing how he was surrounded with his friends, he had disconnected from his friends for a while too and today had brought them all back together, they'd all had fun and the last two years of lonesomeness seemed to be over for Carl, he was ready to jump back in.

"It was a good day, a very good day!" Dale reaffirms and a smile appears on Rick's face as he nods in agreement.

They hear Shane hitting a tune too high and Dale busts out laughing hoping his windows don't crack and Rick hearing joins Dale, laughter filling the air. Rick peers back up into the rear-view mirror to see Carl and Duane with both their fingers in their ears laughing with their eyes shut closed.

"I think so but I think someone had just as much fun as the birthday boy!" Rick laughs looking to see Shane and Carl blowing their whistle noisemakers at one another and then giggling like girls when the foils to their noisemakers get tangled up together.

"Ewwww they're smooching!" Duane announces to everyone twisting his face disgusted and dropping his face onto his dad's shoulder giggling hysterically when everyone ewwwwwwws when they turn around to watch.

Dale pulls up into Rick's drive and stops the mini-bus opening the doors. All the kids shuffle out and run towards their parents handing them their party bags telling them how much fun they all had showing their party hats, glasses and feathers boas. Once Carl stepped down onto level ground - Shane, Morgan and the others grab Carl's limbs and lift him up into the air giving him the birthday bumps and there was a lot of cheering and singing. The neighbours come out of their houses to see what was going on and when they see Carl's birthday celebrations going on, they join in the fun happy to see Carl enjoying his special day.

Rick steps down off the mini-bus smiling watching and scoops Judith into his arms when she ran over to him holding her Elsa doll excited to see so many people in their driveway, she's never seen so many people at her house.

"Daddy, see!" Judith points to Carl giggling and Rick kisses her head nodding with a smile "I see baby!"

Rick stands amongst friends and family feeling like something has shifted in their lives. Whatever it was, he was happy for the shift and today was the first day of the beginning of their new lives.

* * *

 **A/N:- The Party Bus is from a personal experience.**


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own the Walking Dead or its characters

Apologies in advance for any spelling and grammatical errors. _Thoughts in Italics_

* * *

 **Two Broken Hearts to Beat As One**

 **Chapter 5**

* * *

Rick reaches over and smacks the alarm clock off as it beeps wildly. He rolls over burying himself deeper under the duvet as he can now hear the birds chirping happily right outside his window. His hand snakes out from inside the covers and rests on the undisturbed pillow, fingers stroking the material. When he opens his tired eyes, he sees the empty side of the bed. He just lays there staring, feeling lost and alone. Nights and mornings were always like this, the hardest. This was when he truly felt completely alone in the world. He felt empty.

Unable to lay and wallow in his pain thinking about the past, about Lori and what was not said between them, he pushes the covers off his body and throws his legs out of the bed. He sits there leaning forward holding his head taking a deep sigh as he rubs the temples of his forehead.

The yawning coming from the baby monitor reminds him, he still had two reasons to get out of bed. Judith and Carl and with them in thought, he pushes himself off the bed, pulls on a t-shirt and opens the blinds letting in the morning daylight and the two birds that were chirping merrily, fly off his windowsill and nestle against one another in the tree opposite. He felt like they were rubbing their togetherness in his face and couldn't believe he was envious of them, two birds. He tears his eyes off of the lovebirds, making to move and pulls open his bedroom door, feeling achy and exhausted. The last couple of days of no sleep and rushing around like a mad lunatic finally catching up with him. The end result was Carl enjoyed his birthday and Carl receiving all those hand written notes from his friends and their parents was worth it, so the aches and exhaustion was worth it.

He turns in the direction of the bathroom and just as he goes to turn the doorknob, it swings open and he's startled and surprised to see a fully dressed Carl in pale grey chinos with a royal blue Captain America Shield T-Shirt, not his normal dark skinny jeans and hoodie. Running his eyes over his just turned twelve-year-old son from top to bottom and then back up again, he was lost for words to express how comforted and lightened he felt to see his Carl again. Vibrant and innocent and full of youth. He could see Carl's crystal blue eyes that sparkled with something he hasn't seen in a long time. Too long he knows so well. When he takes a closer look, it seemed like his son even seemed to have run a comb through his mop of a hair and not just with his fingers. He was speechless thinking maybe he hadn't woken up, maybe he was still asleep and dreaming. This couldn't be a dream he tells himself.

"Mornin' dad!" Carl had greeted walking past and his nose followed the scent which he recognised as one of his aftershaves – one of his most expensive aftershaves he only wore on special occasions.

 _I'm definitely awake!_ he tells himself when he is overpowered by how much aftershave Carl had used thinking he won't yell but he'll show Carl, only a little spritz is required and Mika the little girl he was sweet on would appreciate it than be suffocated all lesson having to sit next to him. He smiles at that thought, Carl's first crush.

Coming out of his thoughts, he watches Carl going into Judith's room and he's confused. He looks back at his alarm clock and it read 6.30am. This has to be a first since he can remember. Carl would usually still be asleep in bed at this time of the morning and wouldn't wake up for another hour or later and on those days, he had to march into Carl's room and practically yank the covers off giving warnings which turned to threats of punishment. Mornings on a school day with Carl was always hard work and they'd always end up exchanging words or worse - deadly looks resulting in complete and utter silence in the car on the drive to school. Some days, the tension was palpable, you could feel it thick in the air - you could practically cut the tension with a knife.

"Morning Juju, time to get up!" Rick can hear Carl standing outside the bathroom door and then he can hear the quiet muffled exchanges between Judith and Carl.

"Sesame Street!" Judith could be heard chanting and Carl agreeing to watch with her, only if she gets up and gets ready.

Rick stepped into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him and turned the shower on for the water to heat up. Taking a few steps back, he takes a seat on the closed toilet lid going over the last minute or so. As he does, he runs his hands over his fury face watching the glass fog up from the steam and thinks maybe he too should make the effort seeming as Carl was. He should be the one leading by example, not the other way round. He had always taken pride in his presentation of the Clean Cop Look and being punctual to the dot and maybe it was time to get back into that routine, get things back to as normal as possible.

He gets up, opens the cabinet and pulls out his shaving kit and spreads it all down on the counter and looks up into the mirror. It was time to shave off the scruff, he had looked battle worn for far too long. It was time to get back to being Rick Grimes. He picks up a pair of small scissors, clutching a strand of his beard and takes the first snip letting it drop into the sink.

* * *

Judith was sitting on Carl's lap at the kitchen table as he feeds her sweetened waffles he had toasted in the toaster whilst they watched Sesame Street on the little old TV on the counter whilst he took intervals of scoffing down his cereal.

Rick was at the top of the landing buckling up his holster and can hear the music coming from the kitchen. The rule was, if you can hear the music from outside the room you were watching TV from, then it meant the volume was too loud and needed to be turned down a few notches. Instead of thundering down the stairs to remind Carl, he climbs casually down the stairs fastening his watch around his wrist but stops midway. His lips creep up into a smile listening to Carl.

"C is for Cookie, that's good enough for me!" Carl tries to sing along with The Cookie Monster imitating his gruffy voice making Judith giggling along.

Standing there listening to the both of them, it really tugged at his heart. Whatever has happened over the past two years of heartbreak, bitterness, anguish and misery in The Grimes Household - Carl and Judith's relationship had only gotten stronger. They had a special bond that was unbreakable and that nobody could get in between. He just knew they'd take care of one another even into old age and he knew he was blessed. He takes a deep breath taking the remaining steps down with a spring in his steps and enters the kitchen to see his children engrossed in the re-runs of Sesame Street, the show he watched as a child.

Rick sees that the coffee pot was full which meant Carl had gone out of his way and prepared the brew so that the coffee would have filtered into the bowl by the time he came down. He pours himself a cup and slips into a seat beside Carl. He takes a sip and sighs internally. Perfect, better than the stuff at work. He sits there and watches the little TV and then his children completely spellbound by colourful animal puppets and he was fine, he didn't want them to grow up quickly. They were growing up too fast as it was and he just wanted to enjoy this time with them before it flew by in a blink of an eye and they were suddenly adults with their own lives. He'd missed nearly two years of their lives, he was there but not completely there and he had made a promise to himself and Lori, he would be completely there for Carl and Judith until he look his last breath.

Judith was swaying in Carl's lap sucking and chewing her waffle giggling every so often when Bert and Ernie come on. They were both just the two silliest fools she's seen, they reminded her of her two silly uncles.

"Uncle Shane and Uncle Morgan, Silly-billy's!" Judith points and Rick scoffs to himself.

Shane and Morgan were a comedy act when they got together. Each trying to get one over the other but it was all in fun, they really loved each other, those who knew them closely would know, they'd do anything for the other. Holiday's, Christmas and Birthdays were a hoot with the two together and Carl's birthday was no different, Shane had made Morgan wear an afro weave like back in the day when he had hair. He wondered what Morgan was going to do to get Shane back. All he can think is poor Jenny and now poor Andrea having to deal with these idiots and their shenanigans. It was a good thing Andrea was an attorney and knew how to deal with men when they got out of line.

Carl made chuckling noises whilst taking mouthfuls of Cheerio's and milk was dripping down his mouth in the process. Rick's face twitches and he looks down with a smile, twelve-year-old Carl reminds him of six-year-old Carl sitting there. Some things never changed.

Rick reaches over and grabs a napkin and hands it over to Carl.

"Thanks!" Carl says accepting the napkin thrust under his chin and he and Judith both turn around when they hear "You're welcome." in response.

Judith drops her waffle and it lands on the table "Daddy?" Judith questions in a whisper puzzled.

"Yes baby?" He answers and can't help but smile when Judith's eyes light up finally recognising him.

"Dadddddy!" She squeals reaching over to be taken and Rick grabs hold of her as she practically jumps into his lap.

Standing on his thighs looking at him marvelling having always known him to have scruff or a beard over his cheeks and jaws, she reaches over and runs her little hands over the sides of his face "Soft!" She says smiling, pushing her face into his to take a closer inspection fascinated beyond belief, closing all personal space between them now nose to nose. Judith sees her daddy's blue eyes but they were sparkling a shade brighter today. She begins to giggle when Rick rubs his nose against hers which makes him laugh gently closing his eyes taking a deep inhale of a breath. He just savours the moment and allows himself to return the love to Judith she always showered him with, he was going to shower her with the same if not more.

"Daddy!" She smiles broadly, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"Yeah Judy, it's daddy!" He says rubbing Judith's back, pressing a long kiss to her forehead, opening his eyes and taking a side glance at Carl who casts a long look back at him and finally allows a rare smile to appear over his face.

"You look good dad!" Carl finally speaks.

"You don't look half bad yourself!" Rick responds back making Carl roll his eyes in a good way.

The tiny smile on Carl's face doesn't escape his eyes as Carl goes back to eating his cereal and watching TV.

This was the first compliment he had received from Carl in over two years and it meant a lot to him. He picks up the waffle and continues to feed Judith who was peering over at the TV but frequently looking back at him. He sits there with his children enjoying watching Sesame Street and just enjoying being in each other's company. This was just the start, he still had a lot to make up for but spending time with Carl and Judith was his main priority.

* * *

Rick had only put one foot over the threshold of the station and everyone pounced on him like he was some sort of local celebrity complimenting how good he looked, he must have looked approachable, usually they left him alone with the scowl he went around with but today he had now scowl.

They were asking how it felt shaving off that bird's nest he had been rocking for so long, did he find left overs and so on cracking jokes which he just took in his stride and didn't mind one bit. It had been a while back he'd laughed, joked and had been just one of the guys with his work colleagues and it felt good to be a part of them again, one of them. When The Sheriff had come out to see what the commotion was all about, he looked over the office floor and met his eyes. His Chief took one look, big smile appeared on his face before he turned back around and re-entered his office.

"Your lookin' real good Rick, like the old you!" Shane had come over with a fist eating grin squeezing his shoulder having noticed since Carl's birthday, a change in Rick and it was a good change, a change that was long awaited.

The morning had been slow, going through witness statements, cross referencing and going through evidence, nothing major, just a second set of eyes glancing over paperwork and he'd made a few notes of his findings but nothing big. He was itching to be out on duty in his patrol car and not be stuck in the station. He grabs his wallet to get money for the vending machine and a piece of paper drops to the ground. Crouching down to pick it up, he sees the receipt from Peletier's. He stands up staring at the address and telephone number thinking about the sale assistant as he slides a few coins into the vending machine and presses the button for a Reese's Peanut Butter Bar. He pressed the wrong button and got a cereal bar.

"Anyone seen Leon?" Shane called out rushing into the big open plan office.

"He and Lam had a call out, a petty theft case." Rick informs picking up his cereal bar with a frown.

"Damn it!" Shane tutts.

"What is it?" Rick asks going back to his desk, dropping his bar on top of his paperwork, taking his seat looking at the receipt in his hand, wondering whether he should call or not, he's been debating for the past few days thinking would she think he was weird and creepy or a complete jerk like he felt he was for the way he behaved and acted.

"I need these files run down to the Courts in Atlanta, I can't email of fax them, there's plans in there that are as big as the table!" Shane huffs dropping the files on his desk opposite Rick.

"I'll take em!" Rick offers pushing the receipt into his wallet and stuffing it into his back pocket.

Shane looks up pulling a face "Rick, this is an errand boy job!" Shane reminds him not comfortable with him running around like one of the rookies unless it was a major big case, then one of the deputies did the run.

"Yeah well, you need an errand boy and I'm sittin' here goin' crazy goin' over the same papers so I'll be your errand boy!" He says practically pleading whilst grabbing his hat and keys.

"I dunno Rick, jus' don't feel right!" Shane says shifting looking around for one of the other rookies or junior deputies to appear.

"Shane, you'll be doin' me a favour lettin' me go and I got some important business I need attendin' to in Atlanta, makes sense!" He says ready to go placing his hat on his head.

"Aight!" Shane frowns grabbing the folders when he sees Rick ready just waiting for him to give the green light and he still wasn't comfortable with this arrangement "Jus' this once and don't make habits of making me treat ya like your one of my minions, it's really fucked up twisted this!" Shane grumbles walking off.

"Well I'm your minion until Chief and the Shrinks say so." Rick replies over his shoulder as he dashes towards his cruiser wanting to hit the road.

"Bring me back some Chicken Chow Mein then, might as well take advantage and abuse and use ya now until they kick me back in my place and put ya back in yours!" Shane comes running back but Rick had already sped off.

"Who am I kiddin'?" Shane says with a scoff "He's his own boss!" watching Rick's cruiser turn out the gates.


	6. Chapter 6

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Thank you to those who are reading and thank you to Guest, SoutheastChicagoMom and brinxb for commenting on the last chapter.

 **DISCLAIMER:** I do not own the Walking Dead or its characters

Apologies in advance for any spelling and grammatical errors. _Thoughts in Italics_

* * *

 **Two Broken Hearts to Beat As One**

 **Chapter 6**

* * *

The children's department at Peletier's had been buzzing for mid-week. Beth had already made a dozen sales and it was only mid-morning, she was on a roll.

She was listening to another story from a tired parent of how she'd trolled around every clothing store in the near vicinity looking for the perfect dress and realised she should have just come straight to Peletier's which had the most gorgeous outfits, and Beth couldn't agree more as she wrapped up an expensive beautiful little dress in pink tissue paper and admired the chiffon material with the delicate hand beading, thinking it would look just perfect on her little niece Bae and hoped she could put one aside for Maggie's little girl but the price tag was a little out of her price range. She delicately placed the parcel into the store's posh paper gift carrier and handed the bag over to a very happy customer.

"Thank you so much Beth, you're an absolute super star, an angel even!" The woman corrects giving her a thank you hug for helping her find the dress her daughter had described "I'll be back here next week with one of my girlfriends for little bridesmaid outfits!" She announced throwing a wide smile clutching the bag elated at her purchase.

The grateful looks on the customer's faces were a reward in itself and Beth wasn't even thinking about the bonus that Mrs Peletier had promised them if they reached their sales target this week and by the looks of it, they most definitely would meet and break those records if they all continued at this rate.

Once Beth waved off another happy and satisfied customer at the doors, she turned around feeling a sense of self-satisfaction, appreciation and her bubble bursts immediately when she sees the endless racks of clothing out of line and hanging carelessly. Evident, impatient hands had rifled through hours of care and attention like a tornado bolting through the aisles. It made the store look untidy and disorderly which wasn't a good look and first impression of Peletier's for any customer to observe entering the much talked about store.

Beth's body slouches as her eyes scan the shop floor and with a sigh, she rushes around and begins tidying and adjusting the rails of clothing and placing the outfits in age and size order so it would be easily to locate the right size and determine whether they needed to replenish stock that was selling fast and there were certain outfits selling faster than the others. Beth took a mental note of what was needed as she worked her way round the store.

Once satisfied, Beth looks around to see the new shop assistant Ben, who Carol had hired was at the till serving a customer chatting away merrily as he prices up. He seemed to have jumped right in where Amy had left off. She liked Amy but it was actually a breath of fresh air to have a guy who was funny, interesting and thoughtful to work with. The moms and kids seemed to love Ben and he enjoyed entertaining and making sure everyone was comfortable and happy. He had even slipped into the little family they had formed at Peletier's. Tara's instincts of picking the right candidate was perfectly spot on.

Thinking of Tara, Beth spies Tara leaning outside of the changing room wall picking at her fingernails waiting for the little toddler and his father to appear from behind the curtain to give her opinion and jumps when she hears the fussing going on behind the curtain asking whether _dad_ needed any assistance, she was ready to step in and help and the curtain is wrenched open with a frowning dad nodding yes, he needed help.

Sasha returned from her break waving to Beth it was her turn and without dillydallying, needing her caffeine fix and a giant Millie's Cookie in her system, she rushes to the stockroom, grabs her purse from out her locker and waves to Tara across the shop floor who nods with a sigh wishing she could join her. Beth rushes out of Peletier's and makes her way to the staff canteen on the top floor taking the stairs two at a time avoiding the elevators and escalators knowing the build-up of bodies jamming waiting to use them around this time. She only has fifteen minutes and she wanted to savour those minutes and relax before the lunch time rush.

Beth races to the coffee machine seeing the bodies following behind her, presses the button watching the silky black liquid pour into a tall glass mug. She rolls her neck and then looks to her side to find one of the cute guys from Electronics leant close beside her waiting for his turn with a small confident grin on his face whilst watching her. She was startled straightening up and blushes at his close proximity and blatant attention to her. He was definitely handsome with long eye lashes, perfect features, had a physique he worked at, possibly was an athlete or football player back when he was in high school and college, definitely hit the gym and then she remembers Seb and her heart plummets.

She throws the guy from Electronics a forced tight smile not wanting to be rude as she grabs her steaming mug, little pots of milk, sachets of sugar and not forgetting her giant chunky Triple Choc Chip Millie's Cookie and makes her swift exit trying not to drop anything before he opened his mouth wishing she had grabbed a tray because he looked like he would jump and help pick it all up if she dropped anything. He also looked like he wanted to ask her something but she was out of there not giving him the opportunity or chance. She felt bad but she had her suspicions - he was always there when she was and she'd have to walk past his store which meant, he'd instantly know she was going on her break and he'd appear in the canteen out of thin air. She wasn't ready to be asked out because that was what those looks were suggesting and the few times he spoke. He was a bit too confident in himself in her opinion. She knew his confident type. Dated one for two years, was engaged to one and she wasn't going to go through all that again. She was done with guys - period.

Happy to see nobody queuing, she shuffles over carrying everything and takes an eager bite from her cookie. She couldn't help the embarrassed smile appear on her face when the Cashier catches her, who thankfully just shakes her head with a warm smile accepting her money.

Beth sees Amy sitting with a few of the girls from the different department stores and pauses when she hears the distinctive laughs of none other than Rosita (Head Girl of The Mall) Casey, Miranda and Trixie (The Groupies). Sometimes like now, Beth felt she was back in high school.

Beth takes a deep breath with a bounce in her step, makes her way over and slips into the spare seat beside Amy but unfortunately right opposite Rosita. Internally she groans. Rosita made her feel uncomfortable and awkward and the way the beautiful and striking Rosita looked at her, she felt like Rosita was turning her nose down at her especially when Rosita found out she grew up on a working farm. Beth loved her farm and wished she was there right now, even gutting out the horse's stables, pig pens, anything than look at the unimpressed face of Rosita Espinosa.

"Hey, miss me much?" Amy whispered leaning towards Beth who returned her friend's smile.

"Jus' don't miss the terrible terrible singing!" Beth jokes which earns her a shoulder nudge and they both quietly laugh between themselves because Amy couldn't carry a tune.

Beth pours her little pots of milk and sugar into her coffee and takes a sip, eyes rolling back at the smooth sensation because she needed it and it hit the spot. She takes a huge bite from her cookie munching away and then looks up to find everyone staring at her. Beth blushes covering her mouth whilst she chewed giving an apologetic smile round the table. Amy stifles her laugh whilst she takes a sip of her Green Tea. Everyone at the table was on a new liquid diet and they looked disgusted that she was eating a cookie that could possibly be the whole of their allocated calorie intake for the day. Beth takes a sip of her coffee and slowly nibbles on her cookie, not a mind reader that nobody was eating again but she was hungry and this was the canteen.

"Like I was saying," Rosita rolls her eyes at Beth and continues her story of the hot guy she and everyone whose anyone has got their eyes on… "Paul Rovia aka _Jesus_ is goin' to be modellin' the new line of designer goods and I can't believe those two twits, Noah and Zach of all people are goin' to be assistin' with the shoot!" She says disgraced and there's a rumble of exasperation around the table.

Beth looks from one face to another as she munches her cookie now looking down into her coffee. She'd heard about this Jesus from Zach and Noah. He was an up and coming model and he seemed to be some sort of friend of Carol's or Carol's friend's son, Godson, something like that and was the only reason why he had agreed to model for a department store. And there was something else Noah had mentioned, she was trying to wrack her brains but Noah seemed to be smitten with Jesus. All the girls seemed to sit there smitten with Paul Rovia aka _Jesus_ and she had a feeling they were all going to be sorely disappointed.

"I've spoken to Jessie and she's goin' to speak to Mrs Peletier and see if she'll allow me to assist instead!" Rosita says with a smug grin "I've got the Degree in Fashion and it's only right that I get to dress and groom one of the up and coming models and he's so, so sexy, it'd be criminal not to allow me to and mean for Jesus to be subjected to those two fool's stupidity!" She rolls her eyes "Just imagine, the next major premier or exclusive party, I could be walking into the venue on Jesus's arm!" Rosita sighs dreamily "Mrs Rosita Rovia!" She lets the name roll off her tongue grinning liking the way it sounded "Every girl will be so jealous, Jesus is so sexy and he'll be all mine!"

Beth stops munching and staring into space when the _something else_ comes back to her. Noah had heard a bit of gossip which he was only too pleased about and it seemed Rosita could have competition with Noah who is enthralled with Jesus. Rosita and the girls mustn't have heard of Jesus's preferences and maybe she should tell them Beth thinks, break it to them gently but Rosita was off in her own little world and starts her bashing.

"Noah and Zach will ruin the name Peletier's and they'll ruin Jesus's career!" Comes out of Rosita's mouth flatly with those around the table agreeing.

"Your wrong!" Beth interjects.

Rosita shoots Beth a look to find Beth meeting her cold eyes. The girls around the table follow their leader and stare at Beth knocked for six - stunned.

Amy fidgets uncomfortably, sees her magazine and pushes it forward "Owww, look at this Prada Handbag and matching shoes!" Amy squeals trying take the heat off Beth, she knew what Beth was thinking but Rosita didn't and could be really mean when she wanted to be and Beth didn't know exactly how mean Rosita could be. Once you become a target, you become the target.

"Wrong about what?" Rosita asks "You think that I wouldn't do a fantastic job and those idiots would?" Rosita all but scoffs at the thought eyeing Beth.

Beth puts down her cookie wiping the crumbs off her lips with a tissue.

"I think you could do a fantastic job and I think the boys could a fantastic job too!" Beth responds "I think Noah and Zach have got their talents and Mrs Peletier wouldn't have hired them nor insist they help with the shoot if they didn't!?" She questions "and they work in the men's department, they know what's in and what's not and I think you're bein' over judgemental and rude for questioning them and their talents. Yeah, they're a little annoying but they're good at their job! How would you like it, if one of us questioned you and your abilities and talents in the field of work you do day in, day out?" Beth throws back at Rosita with her cool gaze but inside she was seething.

"I'm great at my job and I know I can do the best job and Jesus will think so too once we're done!" Rosita hisses back furious at Beth's audacity and righteous in front of everyone, trying to make her look stupid.

"And before you declare yourself Mrs Rovia, I'd suggest you do some real research!" Beth adds.

She hadn't meant to be so blunt but she couldn't help it and she only spoke up like that when the need called for it, her friends were being openly ridiculed and insulted right in front of her and she wasn't just going to sit there listening and let Rosita think she can get away with it.

All the girls look to one another, at Beth and then at Rosita gobsmacked. Rosita just sits there throwing daggers at Beth who holds her intimidating glare but looks away. Beth wasn't one for confrontations, picks up her coffee and cookie and gets to her feet.

"My breaks over, I'll see you later." Beth says to Amy dejectedly which was a lie, she had five minutes left making Amy frown.

Beth chucks away her rubbish and leaves but before the door closes behind her, she hears the spiteful remarks making her freeze.

"Who does she think she is, Miss All High and Mighty who can only get a job in the kiddie store!" Rosita mocks and then fumes.

"She's just a silly farmer's girl, chillax honey!" Casey pipes up.

"And she has no sense of style, so how would she know anything about fashion?" Miranda adds with a scoff.

"How dare she!" Trixie shakes her head.

"Who does she think she is tryin' to interfere in my love life when she hasn't got one of her own…can't even keep a man interested, so bored he had been bed hopping and sleeping with any woman that could keep up with him!" Amy smirks "I see why her ex-fiancé ran into the arms of another woman, cheated on her for so long and got away with it without getting caught and then he left her, I don't blame him! - the little sad pathetic girl telling me what's what!" Rosita spits.

Tears well up in Beth's eyes feeling ashamed and humiliated, her legs a little shaky, she grabs hold of the door handle to steady herself. Unable to stand there any longer hearing the taunts, wishing she'd just kept her mouth shut, Beth walks as fast as her legs can take her down the stairs, anywhere but there not understanding how they knew about her failed relationship, how they knew about Seb. She hadn't told anyone apart from Tara and Tara wouldn't talk about her behind her back.

"Rosita, just shut up!" Amy says in between gritted teeth turning around having seen Beth take off upset.

"She's giving me work advice…relationship advice!" Rosita fumes standing up "She can't keep hold of a man, I'd be surprised if any man would want to be with a girl like Beth Greene, let alone date her! You think Jesus is goin' to say no to me?"

Amy pushes her chair back and takes her Green Tea and makes her way back to the women's department.

Beth returned to her department and made her way into the stockroom bypassing everyone to put away her purse. Before she does, she opens a small compartment and pulls out the strip of photo booth pictures taken over a year ago. A couple of tears fall down her cheek, she had been so blind, she never saw any of it coming. She couldn't trust anyone and she would never trust a man again. Beth brushes her cheeks on the sleeve of her blouse when she hears Carol's voice, throws her purse into her locker and rips up old memories and chucks it into the bin before stepping back onto shop floor.

* * *

Rick finally releases the files to the Court's Clerk to pass on to the Judge. Taking the signed release receipt, he folds it in half and shoves it into his pocket. He was itching to leave and make his way to his next destination. He had been made to wait an hour twiddling with his hat before he could leave and once he was free to go, he was stopped every couple of steps by a bunch of lawyers, barristers and police officers, old colleagues and peers he hasn't seen in two years and they ask him a million questions wanting to catch up and wanting to know if he was back to his old position as Senior Deputy and of Staff. That was the burning question at the end of everyone's tongue and mind. He was polite and courteous and answered their questions.

He had glazed over the question of his old role. He had three weeks to go and counting before his final appraisal by the sheriff and the station's shrink which would determine if he was ready to resume his position of authority at the Sheriff's Office and not sit on the side-lines like he had been since he returned. Nothing was guaranteed and he wasn't going to assume everything would just go back to normal. A lot of things had changed, he had changed and circumstances too. But, he so badly wanted to get back to where he was and he needed to do this not just for Carl and Judith, but for himself as well. Prove to himself he was still the Police Officer everyone looked up to and turned to. The Sheriff's Deputy he knew he was and could be again.

Grabbing his radio and responding into it, he speaks to Shane who confirmed he didn't need to rush back to the station, all was quiet on the Homefront and to take his time and Rick was grateful to his friend for allowing him this time to be able to do this.

Rick makes his excuses, excusing himself from the small group of lawyers speeding out of Court, down the stairs and climbing into his cruiser. He turns on his siren and flashing lights knowing he was going to hit the lunchtime rush hour and traffic jams he had wanted to avoid. He makes his way towards the mall having been thinking about nothing but the shop assistant, not knowing why this was so important to him but it was. He couldn't delay this meeting any longer than he already had let it. He had wished he'd called, sent her flowers, debated with himself. But he needed to thank her in person. It was only right since she had practically saved his once fracturing relationship with his son. She didn't realise what she had done for him and Carl but he did.

Carl for the first time in two years didn't look at him with disappointed and dismissive eyes. Carl had looked up at him with pure regret, not having to vocalise them, his understanding and loving eyes, something that been alien to him in such a long time. His son looked at him with the need and want for him to be his dad again, the want to be his son again. And he so badly wanted to fulfil that and be that dad again like he once was, make things right. Carl for the first time in two years spoke to someone about his feelings and in a few minutes, the shop assistant had connected with Carl, something all the shrinks and counsellors couldn't do in two years.

Rick had a lot to be thankful for and he was thankful for driving up to Atlanta that morning and walking into Peletier's Department Store. He hoped she was there, he would be more than disappointed if she weren't. He pushed down on the accelerator and zig zags past the stationary cars allowing him to get through. This wasn't classified an emergency but the emergency to get to see Beth was much greater than any emergency he could think of. He was nervous and hoped Beth would give him the time of day.


	7. Chapter 7

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Thank you to those who are reading and thank you to Guest, brinxb, BethFan SoutheastChicagoMom and layvba for commenting on the last chapter. This is a very short chapter, the next will be longer.

 **DISCLAIMER:** I do not own the Walking Dead or its characters

Apologies in advance for any spelling and grammatical errors. _Thoughts in Italics_

* * *

 **Two Broken Hearts to Beat As One**

 **Chapter 7**

* * *

Dale hums along with the radio, drumming his fingertips on the steering wheel whilst waiting in queue to enter the upscale shopping mall's parking lot. Seeing the car in front edging forward, Dale springs into action to finally be moving.

"We have some movement people!" He informs as he slowly begins to trail behind the car in front and then he was off as everyone cheers, claps and whistles.

"Okay folks, we'll meet back here at 4pm sharp." Dale announced into the intercom as he parked his minibus at the Drop Off and Pick Up zone.

A retired editor of one of the county's newspapers, Dale was only too happy to be assisting his fellow residents of King County. Retirement hadn't shaped up to be how he had imagined it to be. He found out there was only so much reading, fishing, golfing, napping and taking it easy he could do. He was bored and lonely and was itching to be able to do something useful with all that extra time he had on his hands during the day. He took to tinkering about with his RV and minibus and one day came to the decision about selling one of them because somebody could put the vehicles to better use than he was. The vehicles were just sitting there in the garage and on the driveway getting rusty and no action.

Dale just couldn't bring himself to part with the RV. There was much interest and top figures fired at him but there were much more precious memories of his late wife attached to the RV than money could sway him to sell it. And deep down, he had plans for it. He wanted to take Rick, Carl and Judith to some of the places that he and Irma spent some wonderful summers together travelling around in the RV. He also wanted to gift the RV to Rick one day as Rick had loved the vehicle from when he was a teen. He thought, once Rick was better, he could take the kids on mini weekend breaks; fishing, camping and sightseeing. It would be a brilliant experience for the little family to spend that time together and bond. He was adamant, being out and about exploring instead of being stuck in the house all day would do them all the world of good and he knew Lori would be happy knowing Rick and her children were living life again and enjoying what it had to offer. She was gone and they had to move on.

He had decided in the end, he had to let go of the minibus.

The day Dale took the minibus for a test drive with a potential buyer, he saw old Mrs Witherspoon sitting at the bus stop with her handbag and little Yorkshire Terrier sitting on her lap. Old Mr Henderson was sitting beside her looking at his watch and then down the street every couple of seconds. And there were a couple of young mothers with their little ones standing in the heat fanning themselves with paper and leaflets they had found deep in their oversized handbags full of miscellaneous items. Neither one of them waiting looked happy.

After he dropped off the potential buyer having been driving for ten minutes, he drove back to the bus stop to find everyone still waiting and looking tired and fed up. A few of the children were fussing, their mothers looked on despairingly disappointed, debating whether or not to just give up and go back home. He had pulled up beside them being nosey and Mr Henderson informed him that the first bus drove off without waiting the five minutes like it was supposed wait and the second bus that was meant have turned up half an hour ago - hadn't. It was then, Dale offered to drive everyone to Atlanta and after much insisting by the group, he agreed to accept a small contribution towards fuel which he honestly said wasn't necessary. He happily chauffeured the little group to the city and back telling them stories of his life on the road as a journalist and has been driving them and others for the past year making a few trips a week.

The senior citizens and the mothers with their littluns shuffle off the minibus thanking Dale as they pass his driver's seat. His jovial conversation with two pensioners is interrupted when his CB radio goes off.

"How bout' it out there, Black Beard down here approachin' Linden County, looking for traffic conditions en route Atlanta?" The voice coming through the CB enquires.

"Eagle Eyes down here in Atlanta." Dale identified himself "10-43 Highway 85!" He responds informing his fellow CBer that traffic was tied up at Highway 85.

Dale was distracted in his conversation with Black Beard, to notice Carl sneaking past him, hopping off the minibus and making a manic dash towards the stairwell that led into the mall.

* * *

Carol comes up the spiral staircase into the children's department from the women's looking over the inventories of items to be reordered.

"Ah Beth, there you are!" Carols says looking up from her Tablet to find Beth sitting on her knees boxing up shoes to be returned back to the stock room.

"Yes, Mrs Peletier?" Beth answers looking up from her task, pushing her fringe out the way to see her boss dressed in a stylish cream fitted trouser suit making her way towards her.

Carol was the epitome of chick and classy and reminded her of her very own mother who always made an effort to dress nicely for board meetings and committee meetings. Her daddy called them outfits he liked to see her in other than her slacks during the day and dresses for the evening; Mama-Greene's-No-Shit-Talking-Power Suits. A pair of little heels, little diamond earrings and a small pearl necklace draped around her neck added to the wow factor.

Beth sits there thinking about home. She misses her parents and their bantering which she found so cute and entertaining. Life on the farm was never boring. How she misses her farm and she misses the animals and she misses her family getting together at the end of the day to have dinner and discussing their days. She draws in a breath and lets out a sigh as her thoughts are interrupted.

"I'd like your opinion," Carol begins her question as she scrolls down looking at the numbers "the girl's party and special occasions dresses have sold like hot cakes in its first week of release, we're down to just a few left. They did better than I had hoped!" She says impressed.

Beth nods agreeing having sold more than anyone.

"I've been sent some pictures of some cute dresses by another designer which I am contemplating stocking up on but was thinking I may make another order of the dresses that are nearly sold out…fashion changes like the wind but," She says mulling over her decision twirling an emerald bead between her finger and thumb.

"I think you should make a large double order of the dresses!" Beth interjects boldly. "The moms who purchased those dresses are goin' to come back to buy their other daughters the same dresses and I know words goin' to get around and we're gonna get an influx of eager customers storming through the doors and a lot of the customers were already disappointed not to find the size they were lookin' for," Beth continues "so I took it upon myself not wantin' to disappoint, to put in a few single orders for those customers and for their orders to be delivered into the store for collection at the end the weekend…so I'd say if it were possible, you should consider ordering double!" Beth finishes talking standing up, piling the boxes on top one another.

"Emanuele allowed you to make single orders and have them delivered to the store?" Carol raises her brows not believing her ears as she tears her eyes away from her Tablet to look up and meet Beth's big round eyes.

"Yes ma'am." Beth answers quietly seeing the bewildered look on Carol's face and thinking she may have made a mistake for not asking.

Carol drops her arms to her sides keeping grasp of her Tablet to appraise Beth.

"Interesting!" She narrows her eyes "That man has to be the most egotistic bull-headed man I know, always makin' you buy in bulks never a few pieces at a time and here he's selling you single transactions and agreein' to havin' them delivered to the store! Whereas I and others, have to buy 2 units which is 60 per unit totaling 120 dresses!" Carol says surprised folding her arms over her chest casting a long look at Beth making Beth a little nervous and felt she had to explain.

"I just told Emanuele that I thought his dresses were just so lovely and beautifully made and I think they'd look amazing in cream, mint and peach with all that beading work, they'd be so lovely for weddings and christenings and I'm savin' up to buy one for my niece to wear to my brother's wedding and I've already shown my sister and sister-in-law and they love them! My sister-in-law wants the same for her flower girls and she loves the idea of half the girls wearin' cream and the other half in mint but she'd be happy with the pinks and lilacs but I'm hopin' he'll magic up some creams and mints-" Beth trails off now flustered feeling embarrassed to have gone on and on, she shuts up and looks down at her shoes.

"Thank you Beth for your opinion." Carol says watching Beth, small twinkle in her eyes "I'll leave you to finish off what you were doin'."

Beth lifts her head up, relived to see Carol walking off towards her office. She lets out the breath she was holding as she leans down, picking up the tall pile of boxes and makes her way back to the stockroom wanting to kick herself for saying and doing the wrong thing. She really thought she was using her initiatives but maybe not this time she guessed. She didn't know what was wrong with her, thinking she left her brain and common sense back at the farm and not forgetting her confidence.

"Hey, how's it goin' out there?" Tara asks sitting on the floor surrounded in a jungle of hangers.

"Kay," Beth responded dejectedly.

"What's wrong?" Tara asks looking up at her pretty friend.

"Nothing's wrong!" Beth says giving a forced smile and busying herself placing the boxes back into their homes.

"You sounded like you've been told, lunch break's been cancelled and I need to eat otherwise I just may cry!" Tara over dramatizes falling back onto her back, throwing the handful of hangers up in the air and regretting doing that when they rain down and bounce on top of her.

Beth rushes over and helps Tara up.

"Thanks!" Tara gives a silly smile rubbing her head making Beth let out a half-hearted laugh.

"We're besties right?" Tara asks brushing herself down of the dust covering her backside.

"Of course!" Beth replied knowing where Tara's questioning was going. She didn't want to reveal Rosita and her groupies had made her feel stupid and humiliated and she had brought it all on herself for speaking up and speaking her mind. She knew Tara would flip and go and defend her and possibly get into trouble if her fists went swinging at Rosita and her groupies.

"Then, care to share what's on ya mind or do I have to get ya drunk on cheap wine tonight?" Tara asks throwing her arms around Beth's neck.

"It's honestly nothin', jus' tired and missin' home but I'll be okay once I've had some lunch, I hear they have chicken pot roast in the canteen today...yummy!" Beth tries to deflect Tara's attention off of her and usually food worked wonders.

"Beth Bubblicious Greene, you tell me whose upset you, your face is all droopy and sad and I'll sort them out, give me the names and I'll take em' down!" Tara says rolling up her sleeves and can only guess of one bitch and her pooches making Beth feeling like the way she was "Amy sent me a message and Imma slap those fake lashes off of Espinosa's eyes and give her the panda eye!" Tara pledges doing her best Mike Tyson impersonation.

"No!" Beth pleads and then she stifles a sniff and Tara catches it.

Tara puts down her boxer hands, frowns but moves towards Beth and wraps her into a tight embrace.

"Bethy, what's wrong?" Tara now asks gently stroking Beth's hair.

Beth finally lets it out facing Tara's kindness and genuine care. She reveals the whole exchange between her and Rosita and then what Rosita and The Groupies had said about her and Seb behind her back after she left the table but was barely out of the canteen.

"Bloody bitches!" Tara raged threatening murder.

"But they're right, who in their right mind would want to be with someone stupid and dumb like me? I'm cryin' like a baby!" Beth says wiping her eyes.

"Oh Beth, you're so amazingly wonderful, ya don't even know it which is so endearin' and yet heartbreakin' the lack of confidence ya have in yourself! I could kill those bitches and that bastard for doin' this to you!" Tara say earnestly "If you'd opened ya eyes and forgot the past, you'd see there is a sea full of good guys just dreamin' to be with you and to be honest, if ya weren't straight, I'd be right there at the top of the line beggin' for a date!" Tara stops herself.

"I hope I'm not creeepin' ya out and ya don't think I'm puttin' the moves, but your smart, gorgeous, kind, generous and thoughtful, Sebastian Blake was a fool to let ya go because he lost the best thing he could ever have had in his life and we'll just have to find ya an absolutely hot and hunky boyfriend and then we'll see what Dog Breathe and the rest of the losers have to say!" Tara squishes her cheek against Beth and squeezes her.

Ben appears and seeing the two of them in an embrace, he walks over and throws his arms around them.

"BEN!" Beth and Tara complain laughing.

"I thought you were havin' a little pow-wow and I couldn't resist, I felt left out!" Ben smiles looking from Tara to Beth.

"Everythin' okay?" He asks rubbing Beth's shoulder.

"Yeah, fine now, thanks guys!" Bethe smiles wiping her eyes.

"Anytime Bubblicious!" Tara squeezes Beth's hand and goes back to her hangers, sighing as she crawls back down and detangles.

"Oh I jus' remembered...got way too distracted," Ben says smacking his forehead "You too groping me and everything!" He teases making Beth roll her eyes sarcastically "You've got a customer askin' for you up front and it's your lunch break!" He reminds Beth tapping at his watch.

"Oh, completely forgot the time…thanks Ben for remindin' me!" Beth says sorting herself out, grabbing her handbag and shuffles past Tara making her way out of the stockroom following Ben who rushes to a customer who looked like she needed help.

When Beth reaches the till, she slows down recognizing that mop of brown hair, the grey chinos and the royal blue Captain America T-Shirt.

"Carl?" Beth calls in disbelief.

Carl whirls around and gives Beth a shy and nervous smile as she approaches.

Beth runs her eyes over Carl, head to toe and she smiles to see him wearing the clothes she helped pick out for him. He no longer looked Emo, angry and frustrated, he looked just like a kid. Beth slowly lifts her lashes up and without realizing, her eyes search the area for the officer.

Carl seeing this, scurries towards Beth and gives her a terrified look and doesn't know why, but he confesses.

"I skipped school, stole away on Uncle Dale's minibus and I got you these to say thank you and dad doesn't know and I'm gonna be in big trouble!" Carl confessed holding out a little bunch of flowers.


	8. Chapter 8

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Thank you to those who are reading and thank you to brinxb and Guest for your comments on the last chapter.

 **DISCLAIMER:** I do not own the Walking Dead or its characters

Apologies in advance for any spelling and grammatical errors. _Thoughts in Italics_

* * *

 **Two Broken Hearts to Beat As One**

 **Chapter 8**

* * *

Beth sits opposite Carl in the staff canteen as he wolfs down his Chicken Pot Roast as she takes a sip of her cola, amused watching the scrawny boy who was lanky-looking for his twelve years of age. She studies him whilst he was distracted with his food. He has willowy delicate features nothing like his father's lean solid build but in time, he'd grow into his skin and resemble his father like most sons normally do she imagines. But without a doubt, the boy definitely had his father's intense and piercing blue eyes through and through she thought, there was no mistaking them and they both shared the same smile when they allowed themselves to smile.

"This is a one-pot wonder!" Carl raves with a mouthful of chicken and carrot "Sorry!" He apologises covering his mouth embarrassed forgetting his manners.

"Mrs Patterson, The Chef will be thrilled to hear that, she was once a school cook you know!" Beth smiles matter-of-fact watching Carl as she hands him a serviette.

"Thanks!" Carl smiles wiping his mouth looking towards the little serving hatch in the wall from the kitchen and sees a woman in white uniform, an apron and net covering her hair working hard in that busy kitchen turning around god knows how many Chicken Pot Roasts with her many assistants rushing around helping. He can only imagine shaking his head.

"Mrs Patterson can come cook at my school anytime she wants!" He says liking the idea as he takes a sip of his Sprite and moving his hair out of his face.

Beth smiles moving her vegetables around her bowl. Carl had brown floppy moppy hair not like his fathers who had natural waves and little curls at the ends.

"Aren't ya gonna eat?" Carl asks catching Beth watching him across the table, she hadn't really touched her pot roast.

"I'm havin' so much fun watchin' you, I think I'm too stuffed to continue!" Beth giggles handing over her bread roll as she watches Carl demolish the last of his.

Carl's eyes light up "Thanks!" he says gleefully and before he takes a bite, he holds it back up to Beth "Are you sure?" He asks to be certain.

Beth nods rubbing her stomach signalling she was stuffed, unable to wipe away her smile as she watches fascinated at Carl's appetite.

 _Boys!_ She thought.

Carl reminded her of Shawn, the family dustbin always up for seconds, thirds and even a sandwich an hour after dinner. Her Mama always planned on making her Daddy's favourite from back when he was a little boy when he used to visit his Grammy in Ireland - Bubble and Squeak with the left over roast vegetables from dinner for lunch the very next day but it never happened. Shawn The Shovel always got there first so her Mama had to make up a little batch of roast vegetables, mash them up and shallow fry them in butter turning them into little Bubble and Squeak Cakes. It should be disgusting but actually, it was surprisingly appetising.

Carl beams dipping his second bread roll into the gravy and Beth has to cover her mouth with her hand wishing Shawn was here right now beside Carl, see who would win in an eating competition. Better if she could take Carl back to the farm and watch him and Shawn fight it out at the Buffet Table – Carl would love being able to jump up every so often and refill his plate.

Remincising about old times, Beth was itching to get back to the farm, she was missing everyone too much. Maybe it was a sign or something, she had been away from home for too long.

Joslyn one of the Cashiers walks passed and stops to say hello to Beth and looks over at Carl with a warm smile.

"Well, who is this handsome young man?" Joslyn asks Beth curiously and winks to her "Another one of your suitors chasing after you, but this one looks a little like Jailbait but very cute needless to say!"

Beth rolls her eyes pretending to be annoyed and insulted but she knows the elder lady was pulling her leg. Joslyn was her friend with a dry sense of humor. Joslyn had always seen her trying to avoid the guys from Electronics and Sports World, one of them was always trying to get her number or ask her out on a date and Joslyn had saved her a few times saying her son would pick her up after her shift for their date seeing Beth's uncomfortableness and they'd become friends ever since.

"Joslyn this is Carl, Carl this is Joslyn." Beth introduces them to one another.

Carl extends out his hand and Joslyn surprised, shakes it.

"Gentlemanly manners and oh, a good solid grip!" the elder lady says impressed "Now Carl, how's the pot roast honey?"

"It's SO good, I could eat it every day!" He praises putting his thumb up emphasising how much he loved it.

"Wow, I'll pass on the compliments to Chef, she'll be absolutely delighted!" Joslyn laughs patting Beth on the shoulder as she goes "See ya honey and ya come again Carl, I'm sure we can rustle ya up somethin' else other than pot roast!"

"You can count on it Joslyn…I'll be back!" Carl calls back and continues to spoon chicken and vegetables into his mouth.

"Gosh, when was the last time you ate?" Beth asks shaking her head.

"This morning I had a bowl of cereal and I've been starving since!" He says wiping his mouth on the serviette "I missed snack at break and we eat lunch earlier at school but it's not all that nice so dad tries and makes packed lunches and that isn't much better!" He shrugs his shoulders pulling a face.

"But this is good, we don't get to eat home cooked meals like this unless we put them in the microwave which isn't all that great or we go out to the diner which is better but dad doesn't like goin' out much or he's too tired after his shift and Judy gets fussy wanting to go to sleep, dad just prefers stay stay home." Carl explains.

Beth sits there listening to Carl, no mentions of his mother.

"He tries to cook meals but he usually ends up burning it or does something wrong, so we end up having to have readymade meals, or we throw in a pizza or fish sticks and fries in the oven or order takeout. I don't know, we Grimes can't cook a baked potato between us, god only knows what Judy's gonna do! She likes to play with her toy oven and stove, pretending she makes us dinners," Carl says chewing his chicken looking out the window "Shame there's nobody to actually teach her how to use an oven or stove in real life when she can reach the counter and look over it!" He says sadly watching a man who worked in the Camping Store kiss and cuddle his wife and child as they walk past their table.

Beth leans on her elbow watching Carl. She felt a little sad hearing that. Food and cooking was one of the focal points in her family, everything revolved around food - happy occasions, sad occasions, celebrations, any occasions, there didn't actually need to be an occasion. The heart of the home was the kitchen. They'd all be pitching in with their Mama ruling the roost and everyone fell into line, even her Daddy and Shawn could whip up a meal or two from scratch, especially on the days her Mama had her committee meetings and it was the men who did the cooking. Even Maggie, The Feminist who was always ranting and raving she wasn't one to cook, cooked. Her Mama was always cooking up a storm and had taught her everything she knew. She remembers pressing the cutter into the dough and making gingerbread men. What about little Judith, Beth thinks sadly missing out.

She wondered about Carl and Judith's mother. Nobody has spoken about her and she doesn't feel like she can ask because that would be being nosey and really was none of her business. From what she was picking up on either way, it sounded like or more she got the vibes, Mrs Grimes didn't live with Carl, Judith and their father and she didn't want to upset Carl if that was the case when he was being so openly talkative with her and it seemed he just needed someone to talk to and she didn't mind being that person.

The guarded demeanour Carl had when she first met him, was gone. She almost didn't recognise him, watching him sitting there talking nineteen to the dozen and to be honest she preferred _this_ Carl to the rebellious, standoffish boy with attitude especially towards his father which to be honest, was too heart-breaking to witness, she just wanted to give the Officer a hug that day. He looked like he really needed one. Something major had to have happened for such distance to have grown between father and son. She could see they clearly loved one another but they were angry and had a lot of tension built up between them. They had trouble communicating or not from what she noted spending that little time with them.

She could never be like that with her Daddy nor could she bear that animosity between her Daddy and Shawn even when either of them were being stubborn old mules but they always ended up talking it out, giving each other a hug at the end of the day, nobody was allowed to go to bed angry with the other and she was happy her parents had instilled that in all of them. She couldn't imagine if it were any different and she hoped that Carl and Rick's relationship wasn't as rocky as it was when she first met them because you could've cut the tension with a knife.

She could only hope they were working it out but she wasn't sure how Deputy Grimes was going to react when he got her messages and the school's messages when they figure out Carl wasn't there. She feels bad for the substitute teacher and for the friend called Duane who was going to try and cover for Carl. She wasn't exactly sure what Duane was going to do to be able to pull off Carl not being in class.

* * *

Rick travels up the glass elevator looking down at the shoppers and little concession stands selling watches, jewellery, gadgets, cupcakes and prototypes of new exclusive merchandise luring people into the bigger department stores and boutiques getting smaller as he travels up.

He glances down at the beautiful bouquet of mixed flowers of roses, carnations, lilies and heather he purchased in one hand from _Petals To A Loved One_ and the oval box of chocolates in his other from _Chocolate Dreams_.

 _All women love flowers and chocolates, don't they?_ He asks himself unsure if that was just a cliché.

He couldn't remember the last time he purchased flowers or fancy Swiss chocolates he couldn't pronounce, or even spent so much time debating and choosing in one of the lavish shops where as soon as you walked in, the shop assistants jumped at you like Piranhas and stuck to you like glue until you purchased their expensive chocolates and they made a profitable sale.

Lifting his head up, staring straight ahead of him watching his reflection on the glass as the elevator comes to a stop, he thinks maybe he may have gone a little too overboard at his message and gesture of appreciation. He wanted to give Beth _Thank You_ flowers and chocolates, and these flowers and chocolates cost him…he pulls out the receipts trying to remember and abruptly shoves them back into his pocket trying not to choke on his saliva when he sees the total sum. He knew this weekend when he does the grocery shopping, he wouldn't be buying any branded beers or extra junk food Carl and Judith love to throw into the trolley when they think he's not looking. In fact, Shane could get them in as he's usually the one guzzling and munching them down and Andrea who was always eating something when he sees her in his kitchen.

He had been completely blinded, distracted trying to pick the nicest flowers he could find and hadn't put a price limit on his order which meant the florist got creative and run away with her creativity. He now knows why the florist was only too eager to assist him with that big satisfied grin on her face as she wrapped the flowers up in the best presentation packaging she had. He wasn't sure if she was genuinely happy with the selection and bouquet they made or the fact that her cash register and sales numbers would be up all thanks to a clueless dumbass like him.

Staring at one of the perfect pink roses, he wonders what would be going through Beth's mind when she sees him walking into her store with the bouquet of flowers and then holding them out for her to take. They looked like an expensive arrangement with a lot of thought and care put into them which you'd normally gift to your girlfriend or your wife, not to a woman you didn't know who you just wanted to say a simple _thanks_ to.

 _Do any of her other customers go out of their way to give her presents for doing her job?_

"Oh god!" Rick screws up his face shaking it exasperated with himself because he was so out of tune and socially inept, he knows he's got this completely wrong not really sure why this was bothering him more than it should do. All he had to do was hand the gifts over, say thank you, good bye, turn on his heels and exit the shop.

Because, if he did get it wrong, he'd probably never see her again. Probably not for another year at least when he had to buy Carl birthday clothes and she might not even be there in a years' time - people move on to better bigger things in life and he didn't see Beth being a sales assistant forever but she seemed to enjoy what she did and everyone loved her and why wouldn't they - she was great, it'd be hard not to love her.

Rick slumps his head back against the glass making his hat tilt forward to cover his forehead and his eyes, he wished it would cover up his face knowing Beth's going to think he is a complete and utter weirdo turning up, unannounced and presenting her with the most expensive flowers, Petals To A Loved One has probably ever sold.

Rick's hands get clammy just imaging the look on Beth's face. He remembers the very first moment they met. It wasn't the best, he'll never forget that day for as long as he lived. He had just stared at her for longer than he should have, it went beyond in appropriate, she backed away from him. And when he found his voice, the wrong words fell out of his mouth when he opened it. It was like he forgot how to talk. And like Carl had said beneath his breathe, he had forgotten how to speak and act around women.

The whole Elsa and giving her a shower comment, the awkwardness that followed with everyone staring and listening until they were clear and understood when Judith innocently retold what had happened with her doll, the freezer, the sink shower unknowingly defending him - they laughed so much, he can still hear the laughter around him. He had been so relieved Beth was able to see the funny side and made a joke out of it, putting his mind at ease and he allows his lips to creep up to smile now. He hadn't laughed so much in - he couldn't even remember if he tried to recount when the laughter bubbled up from his stomach and erupted out of his mouth or when his mouth and jaw hurt so much, he had to rub it to soothe it out.

Rick's smile slips away from his lips as they return to a straight line, his eyes downcast at the memory. He, himself had ruined the moment resulting in the way Beth ran off into the stock room to get away from him. His change in demeanour of his own mistake. He wished he could have reacted differently. Wished he could have told her how grateful he was to her, that he was stunned to just stare at her unbelievably because she had gone out of her way to help him and she didn't owe him anything, didn't even know him and she went and did all that she did for him and his children without asking for anything back in return. He had forgotten how to take offered help and had forgotten how to say thanks in return. There was no catch, just Beth and the kindness of her heart. It didn't happen much from strangers and the hours they spent together, she had been the first person he had felt comfortable to be around and he had undone whatever had happened in those few hours.

"What if she doesn't want to speak to me, let alone see me?" Rick whispers to himself as the elevator doors open whilst he stares down into the different shades of pinks, lilacs and whites of the flowers.

He steps out, completely distracted and lost in thoughts wishing he hadn't waited so long to do this and nervous not knowing why, he bumps straight into a body.

"I'm so sorry ma'am!" Rick apologies when he hears a female's gasping shriek and something hit the floor.

He automatically crouches down and gathers up the bag cursing himself.

Rosita composes herself, flustered and ready to yell.

"You stup...oh my!" Rosita gasps to herself when her eyes catch Rick crouched down in front of her with her mouth hanging open watching him.

Rosita's face spreads into a grin and she wants to hug Jessie, her manager for changing their uniform. Peletier's standard uniform is nicely fitted pair of black pants and a beautiful white blouse for the women, the same for men but white shirt but Jessie decided that the women's department needed some va-va-voom and every model assistant would be wearing a classy fitted sleeveless black dress that clung to curves accompanied with black heels. The look brought in women and the men who were only too happy for assistance in the lingerie department. She knew she looked great and her toned tanned legs were proudly on display and she knew the Officer wouldn't miss her long shiny newly sun-kissed legs being crouched down in front of her. His eyes would have to trail up her body as he stands and straightens up.

"Sorry, my head's a million miles away, are you okay?" Rick asks standing up at his full height, handing Rosita her bag without taking notice of her as he concentrates trying not to squish his flowers or flatten the chocolate box whilst juggling holding his hat. He sighs with relief everything's still intact.

Rosita tilts her head up to take a better look, and thought he was definitely sexy and handsome for an older guy standing in that sexy Police Officer's uniform that was clearly made to fit to his tough looking body. She loved a man in uniform, especially real life handsome ones who groomed themselves nicely.

"I am now Officer!" Rosita beams giving Rick her big toothy smile not realising how goofy she actually looked staring at him and she shies away when Rick finally does look at her.

"Are those for me?" She gushes at Rick's intense blues eyes to the gorgeous bouquet of flowers she's ever seen and the luxury expensive chocolates which she happens to adore and would break her diet at once for those chocolate pieces of heaven.

Rick looks down at the bouquet of flowers and box of chocolate and smiles.

"Sorry, these are for a very special someone and I better get goin' to give them to her!" Rick excuses himself backing away hearing his radio becoming active requesting for someone to go to one of their regular callouts, another neighbour dispute "Sorry again!" Rick says over his shoulder making his way to the children's department hoping Shane, Leon or someone would take the call otherwise he'd have to turn around and make a dash back to King County to settle a dispute over music being played too loud.

Rick pats his pockets down wanting to check his messages, grabs his cell phone and sees that the battery has died.

"Great!" He grumbles and shoves it back into his trouser pocket.

"Bye!" Rosita waves and watches Rick practically sprinting away "Hey, I didn't catch your name!" Rosita calls out tottering behind Rick and then he disappeared round the corner and she pouts upset.

"Darn it, he's too fast!" She says looking at her little contact card she had pulled out of her purse ready to hand it to the Officer to give her a call so they could arrange drinks this weekend, nobody said no to her even the older married men.

"Whoever she is, she's one lucky bitch!" Rosita grumbles turning around and making her way back to the women's department wishing those flowers were for her from the handsome Officer not some other special someone.

* * *

Beth looks at her watch and then at her cell phone but nothing, no missed calls and no voice messages. Carl's father might not have checked his phone being at work, she comes to the conclusion. She sighs and wonders if Carl had given the right number, he wouldn't have given her a fake number and considers calling the station to get a message through to his father through their internal radios.

 _Oh god! He's gonna freak out!_ She fears.

Beth returns her gaze back to Carl and she had to bring him back to the topic clearly on her mind and what they've been avoiding. They needed to have this discussion, she felt she needed to get Carl ready for the shit-storm he was going to face from everyone, especially from his father who had expectations and seemed quite regimental. She was sure when they fought, they fought with passion and that could be explosive. She's seen first-hand how frustrated both Grimes men could get with one another.

"Carl, once your dad gets my messages, he's gonna be makin' his way up here with flashing lights and sirens blaring right?!" She says gently just imagining a patrol car zooming up Highway 85 and a teeth gritting Police Officer gripping the steering wheel yelling for everyone to move out of his effing way.

Carl's face drops and fidgets in his seat like he had just had a window view to Beth's thoughts. He gulps wanting to run back to King County and be doing jumping jacks in the gym like his classmates would be doing right about now. He'd even consider doing Cross Country running which he loathed than face his dad.

"Carl, look at me!" Beth sits so she's at eye level with him and she looked serious, yet concerned for him.

Carl's eyes blink up below his bangs knowing he had no choice but get it all over with. He wanted to put on his ' _I don't care'_ attitude and roll his eyes but he doesn't think he can do that anymore. Especially not with Beth, he couldn't even if he wanted to. More importantly, he didn't want to disappoint her, so he sits there and listens to what she had to say and hoped she could give him some pointers of how to not get yelled at.

"Do you understand the magnitude of what you've done today? You're goin' to be in big trouble, big, big trouble!" Beth says seriously and Carl twirls his spoon in his bowl and sighs knowingly so.

He didn't think about the bigger picture before deciding to hop on to Dale's minibus when it stopped outside his school to pick up a couple of the moms and their toddlers to run errands and knowing Uncle Dale was heading to the city later and it was suddenly dawning on him now and he knew Beth was going to tell him just how stupid and silly he had behaved.

"Your dad's gonna be angry as a bull that you skipped school, snuck onto your Uncle's minibus to come all the way out to Atlanta on your own **_without his_** permission, **_behind his_ ** back! Anythin' could've happened to you, there could have been an accident on the road or at school and nobody would know where you were and they'd be freakin' out!" She says trying to emphasis the seriousness of the situation.

Carl lowers his eyes unable to meet Beth's as she spoke now, he really didn't think it through properly, he was just too eager to get to Atlanta to see her.

"You need to brace yourself, he's the law enforcer and you're his son and you've just gone and broke the rules he tries to put in effect and enforce every day! He's usually the one tracking kids down and dragging them back to school and home to their parents which is gonna be an embarrassment for him. So more than anything, your dad's gonna be disappointed that you broke his trust and there are consequences to the actions and choices you make and you're gonna have to face up to them and accept them, whatever punishment is dished to you, you're gonna have accept it without argument, this time you were in the wrong, nobody else but you Carl, do you understand?" Beth asks thinking she just sounded just like her Mama, she pushes the thought away as Carl just sits there unable to formulate a word.

There's a palpable silence around them. Beth looks down at her bowl and steals a look over at Carl who had gone completely quiet from the rambling kid only a couple of minutes ago. He looked to be processing everything and she caught the look of regret and disappointment wash over his pale face. He wore his emotions on his face just like his father does. The two were so similar in many ways.

Carl felt remorseful of his actions and finally understood the seriousness of what he's done and how much trouble he's in, how pissed off his dad's going to be and more importantly, how upset, hurt and a failure he's dad's going to feel. He frowns pinching the bridge of his nose taking a heavy sigh. That wasn't supposed to happen. Things were starting to get better. He remembers back to his party, the last few days spending time together as a family, this morning his dad shaved for the first time in a long time, sat and watched Sesame Street with him and Judy and **_he_** just went and poo-pooed it all with his stupid impulsive decision of playing truant. If he had spoken to his dad, his dad would have arranged for him to come and see Beth. This all could have been avoided, if he just asked.

Beth saw Carl's lips wobble, he suddenly looked like a little boy and she felt terrible.

"Your Dad loves you Carl, whatever you do, that's never gonna change but you need to speak to him. Let him know, he's not a mind-reader. Make him understand what's goin' on up in your head and maybe then you'll both be on the same page, understand one another!" She says gently thinking maybe she had been a bit too rough on him.

Carl lifts his head up finally meeting Beth's eyes, his face had turned pink beneath each of his eyes.

"Beth, I really messed up. I wanted to come and see you, thank you for helpin' me with my clothes, for arrangin' Lazer Zone! I saw the leaflet on my dad's nightstand with your name on it and it was the best! And just for listenin' to me and for makin' my dad laugh and Judy happy, it's been ages since we've had a reason just to smile and laugh and I wanted to come tell you that face to face and give you the flowers because my dad isn't the brightest spark when it comes to women and," Carl stammers struggling to say what he wanted to say.

"And?" Beth urges to continue leaning forward, placing her hand on top of Carl's.

Carl looks up with his lips slightly agape, and wants to tell Beth; nobody since his mom, has made his dad laugh and smile the way she had made him or have his eyes light up and follow her around everywhere she went and he didn't know how to tell Beth what he has worked out that she and his dad still haven't and the only way his dad was going to figure it out, is if she was around.

"Nothing!" Carl says leaning back in his seat, not wanting to put pressure on her and make her run away.

Beth lets out a resigned sigh, she nearly got him to speak but he had withdrawn. She didn't want to have been on him like she had - but for Carl's sake, she wanted him to think before his dad got there.

"C'mon little man, your dad must have picked up my messages by now and is probably on his way, let's get back." She says sliding out of her seat and waving goodbye to Joslyn.

"I'm gonna be grounded forever!" Carl states not thrilled at the thought walking in stride with Beth.

"That my friend, guaranteed you are and expect some hard labour to go along with it!" Beth says draping her arm around Carl's shoulder and giving him a little squeeze for courage leading the way back to the children's department.

"…Maybe…when dad's grounding me, you could be standin' beside me?" Carl requests hopefully.

"Why?" Beth asks pulling a door open raising her brow.

"So he'll be a little distracted!" Carl grabs the door trying to formulate a plan to lower his punishment, gesturing for Beth to go first.

"Why would he be distracted with me standin' beside you?" Beth asks pulling a bewildered look not understanding.

"Are ALL grownups clueless?" Carl mumbles as he smacks his head trailing behind "What age do ya hit and then ya can't see the plain obvious?"

"Carl, it's rude to mumble to yourself!" Beth raises her forehead not impressed and to repeat what he had just said.

"I was saying, what age do ya hit and then ya become bossy?!" He says cheekily.

"Move you little chops mister…I liked it when you jus' grunted and nodded!" Beth holds her hip and points towards the door with a little smile on her lips.

Carl jogs in front and Beth follows behind praying she could mediate between father and son. Carl was a good kid at heart who needed some quality time with his dad and some attention. She was so grateful to Carol, who was okay with her babysitting Carl until his father turned up having explained the situation. Carol informed her, she knew Carl's Great Uncle Dale and The Grimes Boys needed somebody to step up and guide them and wished her luck and left her to it.

* * *

Tara hands the bagged up clothes, receipt and credit card to her last customer, wishing them a nice day waving them off and looking around for signs of Ben to return from his lunch break so she could go off for hers. She was starving and when she got hungry, she got grumpy. She looks around for Beth to return with her stole away feeling sorry for her friend to be lumbered with the teenage-wanna-be-boy but she didn't have the patience to keep watch. She had offered to tie Carl up so he wouldn't run away but Carol said, that was inappropriate and she didn't need an angry father, especially a Officer of the Law threatening to press charges.

"I got spanked over my daddy's knee when I skipped school!" She scoffs out loud.

To make time pass, she busies herself tidying up the till area, spraying the plants and Beth's little flowers with water until she hears footsteps approaching, she looks up with a welcoming smile only for it to drop when she finally recognises him without his scruff over his cheeks and jaw and had to admit he looked really good but still didn't change the fact, he was still a jerk.

"Oh god!" Tara mumbles to herself "Sir, you again?!" She says loudly folding her arms.

Rick stops and just stares at Tara not knowing what he had just done to make her look on at him so crossly.

"Come back to pick up where ya left off from?" She asks and Rick looks over his shoulder behind him but there was nobody there and turns back to furrowed brows as he points to himself in question.

"Yeah you, I'm talkin' to you, Officer-With-A-Chip-On-His-Shoulders! C'mon, come at me, do your worst!" She urges him as she cocks her head watching him as takes off his hat and puts it down onto the counter and combs his fingers through his hair.

They both just hold each other's gazes in a stare off. Rick just stands there thinking he could do this all day and Tara just narrows her eyes deeper wanting him to flinch, give up and turn around and walk back the way he came. Her stomach was grumbling and so was her mouth.

"Tara?" Rick says leaning forward reading her name tag and straightens back up again "I'm here to see Beth, if she's available please?" He asks not wanting to play silly games, he was too old for them. He thought Carl was a sarcastic-smartass but Tara could possibly be worse.

"And so would a hundred other people want to see Beth because she's that sweet, lovely, considerate and would do anythin' for anyone but Beth's not here right now and even if she was, she wouldn't want to speak to you, let alone see you, so have a nice day…buh bye!"

Tara waves to Rick with that smile she's perfected to all her uptight and demanding customers only it was more forced and bigger and faker for Rick. She goes back to spraying the plants ignoring him wobbling around.

It finally dawns on Rick, she was the assistant in the snowman suit who blocked his way from running after Beth to apologise that day. He now understood why she was behaving the way she was and to be honest he couldn't blame her with how he was that day. He takes a look towards the stockroom hoping by miracle Beth would appear but she doesn't. He smiles at his bad luck and then turns back to find Tara watching him under lowered lashes and furrowed brows squirting her little water bottle into the air.

"God, if looks could kill!" Rick mumbles to himself.

"Did you jus' say something?" Tara asks "I can't stand a mumbler, speak clearly!" She bosses.

Rick clears his throat wanting to get out of there before Tara jumped over the counter and sprayed him head to toe with her spray. She had trigger finger going on and she wouldn't stop until that bottle was empty.

"I was goin' to ask if you had one of those surveys customers fill out of experience of the service but maybe another time!" He answers back and Tara scoffs like she'd ever give him one.

Rick gets serious and time was ticking away, he needed to get back to King County if Beth wasn't around. He curses himself that he didn't call before coming, it was a wasted journey. He felt like a fool for jumping to be an errand boy for the day.

"Can you please give these flowers and chocolates to Beth, they're a thank you for helpin' with pickin' my son's outfits, for securing' a venue for his party and also to say sorry, I wasn't havin' a good day that day and it doesn't excuse my behaviour but I'm really genuinely thankful and sorry and I would have liked to have told Beth to her face but I can see she's a busy woman and if you'd be kind enough to pass these and my message on to her, I'd be really grateful to you!" Rick says lifting the flowers up.

Tara regards Rick standing before her holding the biggest bunch of flowers she's ever seen and a box of chocolates she knows Beth loves but could never afford, none of them could afford. She takes them and for the first time not knowing what to say. She looks up as Rick nods his departure, turns on his heels and leaves and then he was gone in a blink of an eye.

"Oh shit!" Tara jumps up remembering "Hey, Officerrrrrrrrr dude…you forgot your kid!" She yells remembering Carl and confused why the Officer didn't explode and ask for his son.

Tara takes a seat not able to run after him, she wasn't allowed to leave until Ben got back and her cell phone was in her backpack in her locker in the stock room.

A couple of minutes later, she hears footsteps coming up the spiral staircase and some voices. She jumps up relieved and holds out the chocolates and flowers as Beth and Carl make their way over.

"Sweet!" Carl grins grabbing the box, opening it and taking a whiff "Hmmmm!"

"Wow, they look mega expensive but they're gorgeous - who are they from?" Beth smiles wiggling her brows seeing the beautiful bouquet of flowers gifted to Tara thinking it was from Tara's ex whose been trying to win her back.

"They're for you!" Tara thrusts the flowers into Beth's arms.

"For me?" Beth says confused hoisting them up with difficulty and looking into the bouquet.

"They're from...Grrrrrr!" She pulls an intense angry face like Beth would instantly know and points towards the automatic doors leading out onto the walkway which leads off into multiple directions.

Beth follows Tara's finger to where she was pointing "They're from a grizzly bear whose just walked out the door?" She asks and Carl laughs taking a seat watching Tara and Beth. And just as he plops a chocolate into his mouth...

 **"** **C.A.R.L.?!"**

Beth and Tara freeze in shock hearing a loud scary growly voice and Carl's eyes open wide terrified, allowing the chocolate to roll out of his mouth, drop and land on the floor. He goes to jump up off the stool but is abruptly stopped.

 **"** **FREEZE and don't you _DARE_ move a muscle boy!" ** Rick threatens marching towards Carl holding his cell phone with a charger hanging off of it.

Beth sees how hurt and angry Rick looked. She sees how upset and rigid Carl is holding the box of chocolates, predicting explosions and possible exchange of strong words in the heat of the moment being fired from both ways in the middle of the children's department with shoppers around, Beth blocks Rick's way making him come to an abrupt standstill in front of her.

"Please, not here and I want to speak to you first!" Beth requests taking a side glance when people come to stop and stare, she then looks up at Rick pleadingly.

Rick's anger simmers down staring at Beth. She doesn't cower away from him like most people would have done by now but holds his direct gaze firmly not looking to back away. Rick's the first to break the stare off when he realises they had an audience staring from behind racks of clothing and whispering going on between the onlookers. He sees Tara with a protective hand on Carl's Shoulder and finally seeing Carl staring down at the floor ashamed and sorry, Rick swallows deeply and nods agreeing to Beth. He backs away giving Beth her space and allows her to lead the way.

Beth makes her way to the stockroom for privacy. Rick follows meeting Carl's sad and red rimmed eyes as he goes seeing Carl wants to follow but doesn't remembering he was told not to move. Rick faces forward feeling lost not knowing what he was doing wrong. He thought that they'd finally come to some truce and understanding but today, proved they cleared hadn't.

Beth shuts the door as Rick makes his way and stands by the lockers waiting for her to speak.


End file.
